WINDHOEK – Airlink, the independent South African-based airline, is acquiring a 40 percent strategic equity holding in privately-owned Windhoek-based FlyNamibia in an investment which will accelerate Namibia’s post-pandemic recovery and drive the expansion of efficient scheduled airline services to, from and within Namibia.

Through this venture, Airlink and FlyNamibia will support Namibia’s National Transport Policy vision by providing safe, reliable, effective, efficient and affordable air transport with world-class service levels. By enhancing productivity in economic sectors and developing complementary engines of growth, it is also aligned with the Economic Advancement objectives set out under Namibia’s Harambee Prosperity Plan II for 2021-2025.

The investment, worth an undisclosed monetary sum, is underpinned by a commercial franchise agreement under which FlyNamibia will adopt Airlink’s “4Z” International Air Transport Association (IATA) designator for its ticket sales and scheduled flights, while retaining its unique corporate identity, brand and aircraft livery. It will also see FlyNamibia’s inventory attaining higher visibility and being promoted on Airlink’s computerised reservation system and on those of major foreign airlines which have partnered with Airlink.

The changes will come into effect as soon as practicable, after which all existing bookings for FlyNamibia flights will be amended at no cost or inconvenience to customers.

Airlink will also provide additional airline operations, technical and commercial skills training and development support for FlyNamibia.

“Namibia is unique, not only in its natural, mineral and human wealth, but its relatively small population relative to the size of its territory. With this in mind, we will be well-placed to achieve the economies of scale to make it economically feasible to connect and serve Namibia’s smaller towns and cities with Windhoek and other regional destinations while also providing convenient and easy access to other markets around the world. This will also support our and Namibia’s shared longer-term ambition to establish Hosea Kutako International Airport as the central connecting hub and base. In doing so, we will help to make air travel and transport more efficient and enhance Namibia’s competitive position as a destination for trade and tourism,” explained Airlink Chief Executive and Managing Director, Rodger Foster.

“Namibia’s economy is expanding and has the potential to grow rapidly with new off-shore drilling and mining, the resurgence in tourism and its establishment as a pioneering producer of green hydrogen for the global energy market. To realise its full economic potential, Namibia will depend increasingly upon air connectivity to move people and goods between markets. By joining hands with Airlink and becoming part of its global network, we will be even better able to serve foreign and local tourists and businesses. In addition, we will be building capacity, developing aviation skills and creating direct and indirect job opportunities,” said FlyNamibia Managing Director, Andre Compion.

From its Johannesburg hub, Airlink serves Windhoek up to four times a day and Walvis Bay daily. In addition, from Cape Town, Airlink operates up to three return flights a day to Windhoek and a daily return service to Walvis Bay.

FlyNamibia currently operates domestic flights from Windhoek’s Eros Airport to Ondangwa, Rundu and Katima Mulilo and regional flights to Cape Town operating six times a week from Hosea Kutako International Airport.

Airlink and FlyNamibia will optimise their schedules to provide the most convenient connections between their respective flights and with long-haul inter-continental flights provided by Airlink’s other commercial partners, which include more than 20 of the world’s leading global airlines.

-Ends-

About FlyNamibia

FlyNamibia is an independent airline providing domestic and regional flights. It began scheduled passenger operations in June 2019 after it was granted carrier status by the Namibian Transport Commission. FlyNamibia is a division of Westair Aviation, which was established in 1967, initially as an aircraft maintenance facility, but which evolved into Namibia’s most experienced aviation company.

About Airlink

Airlink was established in 1992 and is an independent, privately-owned, premier airline.

Choice and reliability are Airlink hallmarks and it serves over 45 destinations in 13 countries throughout Southern Africa, Madagascar* and St Helena Island.

Airlink continues to be the most on-time domestic airline, with its growing fleet of more than 60 modern jetliners achieving a 95.14% average on-time performance in August 2022 and 96% for the year to date**. Airlink is an International Air Transport Association (IATA) member and accredited under its safety audit programme.

Flights serving Madagascar will resume when the current flight restrictions are lifted.
**measured by the Airports Company South Africa.

Notes

Indicative of the potential value of travel and tourism for Namibia, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) reports that in 2019 the sector directly contributed N$5.2 billion or 3.5% to Namibia’s Gross Domestic Product and supported about

44,700 direct jobs of jobs in the country. Indirectly, the sector enabled a further N$26bn contribution (14.5%) to the country’s GDP.

Namibia’s airports facilitated 1,16 million local and international passengers in the 2019-20 financial year with air travel accounting for 683,551 (42.8%) of its tourist arrivals.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism reports that Namibia received 1,681,336 foreign arrivals in 2019. Of these, 1,595,973 (94.9 percent of arrivals) were foreign tourists, including 344,193 from overseas. The others were same-day visitors (3.3%), returning residents (1.4%) and others (0.4%). Of these, 19.9 percent arrived entered Namibia through Hosea Kutako International Airport (down from 24.9% in 2018).

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism reports that Namibia received 1,681,336 foreign arrivals in 2019. Of these, 1,595,973 (94.9 percent of arrivals) were foreign tourists, including 344,193 from overseas. The others were same-day visitors (3.3%), returning residents (1.4%) and others (0.4%). Of these, 19.9 percent arrived entered Namibia through Hosea Kutako International Airport (down from 24.9% in 2018).

Namibia’s top 10 overall tourist markets are: Angola, South Africa, Zambia, Germany, Zimbabwe, Botswana, France, UK, USA and China.

In 2019, Namibia’s top 10 overseas holiday tourist source markets were (in descending order): Germany, France, UK, USA, Netherlands, China, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and Scandinavia.

During the same period, China was Namibia’s biggest source market for overseas business tourists followed by Germany, UK, USA, Scandinavia, France, Canada, Italy, Portugal and the Netherlands.

The internationally accepted WTTC definition of a “foreign tourist” is a person travelling to a country other than their residence and their usual environment, for more than one night but less than 12 months, for any purpose except work paid for in the place they are visiting. Tourism visits are generally categorised either as Visiting Friends/Relatives, Holiday, Business and Other (any reason which does not fall within the other three categories, e.g. medical treatment, shopping, etc.

Media Contacts for FlyNamibia
Maija Shimwino
Corporate Affairs & Marketing Manager maija.shimwino@flynamibia.com.na
Elzanne McCulloch – Venture Media PR for FlyNamibia
elzanne@venture.com.na
Media Contacts for Airlink
Carla da Silva
Airlink Executive Manager, Sales & Marketing
CdaSilva@flyairlink.com
Karin Murray
Marketing Manager Africa
karinmurray@flyairlink.com
Linden Birns - Plane Talking
Media Relations & PR Advisor to Airlink
linden@icon.co.za