Air Namibia and Namibia's aviation future
REINHARDT KÜSTERS WRITES:
A couple of weeks ago the local media advised the public that Mr Leon Jooste, Minister of Public Enterprises embarked on a mission to the US in order to get Air Namibia relinquished from its two A330 aircraft leases. It would be interesting to know what the outcome of your mission was.
In the past weeks the future of Air Namibia has been hanging in the balance and the general public seems to be guessing what the future will hold with our dismal flagship carrier that has been burning hard earned taxpayer's money for decades.
We all know that the government is no longer financially in the position to float the airline and it has a fiduciary duty to stop bankrolling the gross mismanagement and the corruption that has been running rampant in the airline for decades. The latest ICAO audit which Air Namibia has failed on 50 scathing points concerning safety standards, is testament that the airline is beyond the point of saving.
Unfortunately, the demise of Air Namibia is one thing but the government's indecision to permit this abomination to continue is quite another. In the tourism industry, this indecision is affecting our business. International tour operators especially in Europe are seriously considering pulling the plug on Namibia as a destination out of fear that their passengers will be left stranded if and when Air Namibia's operations cease overnight in the same way as Thomas Cook.
It is bad enough that we have an unreliable airline but when it starts affecting the tourism industry as a whole, where we have to deal with mass cancellations due to this uncertainty, we in the industry are left with little choice but to intervene. I expect you as the duly appointed Minister to be transparent regarding the current status quo of Air Namibia and we in the tourism industry will hold you and the government to account from now on.
We all look forward to your feedback as we need to lay the fears of our international principals to rest and ensure that our industry is protected against these type of perils.
A couple of weeks ago the local media advised the public that Mr Leon Jooste, Minister of Public Enterprises embarked on a mission to the US in order to get Air Namibia relinquished from its two A330 aircraft leases. It would be interesting to know what the outcome of your mission was.
In the past weeks the future of Air Namibia has been hanging in the balance and the general public seems to be guessing what the future will hold with our dismal flagship carrier that has been burning hard earned taxpayer's money for decades.
We all know that the government is no longer financially in the position to float the airline and it has a fiduciary duty to stop bankrolling the gross mismanagement and the corruption that has been running rampant in the airline for decades. The latest ICAO audit which Air Namibia has failed on 50 scathing points concerning safety standards, is testament that the airline is beyond the point of saving.
Unfortunately, the demise of Air Namibia is one thing but the government's indecision to permit this abomination to continue is quite another. In the tourism industry, this indecision is affecting our business. International tour operators especially in Europe are seriously considering pulling the plug on Namibia as a destination out of fear that their passengers will be left stranded if and when Air Namibia's operations cease overnight in the same way as Thomas Cook.
It is bad enough that we have an unreliable airline but when it starts affecting the tourism industry as a whole, where we have to deal with mass cancellations due to this uncertainty, we in the industry are left with little choice but to intervene. I expect you as the duly appointed Minister to be transparent regarding the current status quo of Air Namibia and we in the tourism industry will hold you and the government to account from now on.
We all look forward to your feedback as we need to lay the fears of our international principals to rest and ensure that our industry is protected against these type of perils.
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