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Windhoek-Lagos-Accra route suspended with immediate effect

Windhoek-Lagos-Accra route suspended with immediate effect

National airline, Air Namibia, Friday announced the suspension of its Windhoek – Lagos – Accra route with immediate effect.

Air Namibia in a statement said during February, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Namibia banned the issuing of visas to Namibian passport holders.

“In addition, there are messages circulating in Nigeria about Namibia being “anti-Nigeria”, with travelers being urged to avoid visiting Namibia, as well as avoid using Windhoek as a transit point when traveling to South Africa,” the statement read

Air Namibia’s Acting General manager: Commercial Services, Wimpie van Vuuren, said that the ban of issuing visas to Namibians can be linked to allegations that Nigerians are normally ill-treated by Namibian border control officials at Hosea Kutako International Airport when arriving or transiting through Windhoek.

According to Van Vuuren, the load factor performance of the route dropped from average 55 % attained during June 2018 to Jan. 2019, to between 35% and 38% from February to April 2019.

Air Namibia’s Manager Corporate Communications, Paul Nakawa, noted that Air Namibia decided to suspend this route for an indefinite period in order to mitigate the related safety, non-compliance, and commercial risks.

The Windhoek – Lagos – Accra route was launched at the end of June 2018. The route started off very well in terms of passenger numbers and revenue generation, and within two months the route was making a positive contribution to the airline’s route network.


 

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