Air Namibia unfazed by competitionNews that major international airlines soon will offer flights to Namibia seems to have come as no surprise to industry analysts. International giants eye Namibian routes Experts in the aviation industry yesterday said that all stakeholders have the responsibility to ensure Air Namibia survives the threat of international competition. This comes in the light of recent announcements that major airlines such as KLM, Qatar Airways and Ethiopian Airlines will be offering flights to Namibia.
Aviation analyst Linden Birns, who is the managing director of Plane Talking, a consulting company based in South Africa, told Namibian Sun that Air Namibia should not see this as a threat but that the Namibian aviation industry should see it as an opportunity to become more dynamic.
Birns said the fact that the government has allowed these international airlines to operate in Namibia’s airspace is commendable, as they have put the economic benefits that it will bring to the country ahead of “sheltering” the national airline.
“We have to look at the bigger picture and put the greater economic benefits ahead of the national airline.”
According to him opening the market for additional air services holds many benefits as it will bring more tourists to the country, will lower the costs of flights and in turn will also allow more people access to air travel as it becomes more affordable.
Birns said this will be good for the hospitality industry, for trade, the business industry and the auxiliary industries.
He said while these additional new routes may not be welcome news for the national airline, it is the responsibility of all stakeholders to promote and market Namibia on a world stage.
Birns said the ministries of trade and tourism should especially look at developing new markets where Namibia is not already well marketed.
According to him tourism should not be the only focus point, but the country should look at promoting the country to investors, business markets and trade. Furthermore Namibia should start focus less on historical ties, says Birns. “There is a much bigger world than Germany out there.”
He said future tourism markets for Namibia should be stimulated and grown so that Air Namibia can offer connection flights to these and bridge the gap.
He said the national airline could see these new routes as an opportunity and partner and collaborate with the international airlines instead of seeing them as opponents.
While Air Namibia spokesman Paul Nakawa bemoaned the foreign airlines that will start operating in the country and their impact on the national carrier, Air Namibia’s acting managing director Mandy Samson had a different take on it.
Samson was speaking as the 2015 tourist statistics were announced indicating that foreign arrivals have increased by 3% to a new record number of 1.51 million.
Samson said she wanted to allay any fears about the international airlines that will start operating in Namibia soon.
“Nobody is under any illusion. We are ready and in a very comfortable space.”
Samson pointed out that the company’s strategic plan, which identified the airline’s route network for the next five years, recently received Cabinet approval and will be officially launched soon.
This network was developed at a cost of about N$5 million by consultants who prepared a bankable strategic plan for Air Namibia.
She said one of the areas that Air Namibia will be concentrating on is to improve efficiency and brand rehabilitation as well as customer service.
“We are still the carrier that is carrying the national flag.”
She said the aim of rebranding will be to try and make the national carrier more Namibian. For instance, while local cuisine is served on local flights, the airline will be looking into serving local food on international flights too.
“We will be trying to make it our own and to promote Namibia.”
Air Namibia has also announced that it will be increasing the frequency and capacity of its domestic flights and has lowered fares on domestic routes by 20%.
The minister of environment and tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, yesterday said it was high time that African airlines started working together to compete with giant airlines.
Shifeta said it was important that Namibians supported their national airline so that it could become competitive.
“We are sympathetic towards Air Namibia, but we must also realise that all these airlines create and enhance connectivity and will have a positive impact on tourist arrivals,” the minister said.
ELLANIE SMIT