Loss-making Windhoek Luanda route abandoned again by Air Namibia
National airline, Air Namibia will no longer service the Windhoek Luanda flight route as of 9 February, citing non-profitability as the main consideration for this step.
The Windhoek Luanda route was Air Namibia’s most profitable route from 1998 to 2015, but according to the local airline in a statement this week, the situation changed when the Angolan economy weakened and passenger demand for air travel declined.
“To adapt to these economic changes, from 2016/17 Air Namibia reduced the number of flights from 7 to 6 per week, then to 5 and by 2018/19 the number of flights was reduced to 4 per week,” they said adding that the route was suspended from June to October 2019 due to viability reasons; services were re-instated during October 2019 to January 2020 which is the high season.
According to Air Namibia’s interim Chief Executive, Xavier Masule, the route is loss making to a level which is not sustainable, and there are no prospects of the situation changing in the foreseeable future.
Meanwhile passengers booked on affected flights will be rebooked and accommodated on flights operated by the Angolan national airline, TAAG. “Their travel itineraries will not be affected negatively,” the airline stated.
Air Namibia started flying to Luanda in 1992 with two flights per week. The frequency increased steadily reaching seven flights per week in 2014 and 2015.
