Low passenger traffic prompts Namibia’s private airline to drop domestic route

Namibian private airline FlyNamibia said on Wednesday it will cancel its domestic flight between Eros and Walvis Bay from Aug. 1, citing the route’s performance.

The announcement came barely a fortnight after the company introduced a new route connecting Eros Airport in Windhoek to the coastal town of Luderitz to boost tourism.

“This decision comes after careful evaluation of the route’s performance and regretfully necessitates the cancellation of these flights,” the airline said in a statement.

As the country’s first privately-owned scheduled passenger airline, FlyNamibia has been filling up the void left by the national Air Namibia which was voluntarily liquidated by the government in February 2021 over financial viability concerns.

“Despite our best efforts to improve the performance of the Eros-Walvis Bay route, it has become evident that the results did not meet our expectations. After thorough assessment and considering various factors, including passenger demand and operational viability, FlyNamibia has made the difficult decision to discontinue these flights,” the statement said.

“We will continue to maintain open lines of communication with our passengers providing regular updates on any further developments or changes that may arise. FlyNamibia sincerely appreciates the understanding and patience of our customers and stakeholders as we navigate this transition,” the statement added.

FlyNamibia currently operates domestic routes from Eros Airport in Windhoek to Ondangwa, Rundu, Katima Mulilo, Oranjemund and uuderitz, as well as a regional route between Hosea Kutako International Airport, east of Windhoek, and Cape Town International in South Africa. Enditem