WINDHOEK – German airline Condor Airways’ Boeing 767-300 touched down at Hosea Kutako International Airport late Monday night with 259 passengers on board from Frankfurt, Germany, on its maiden flight on the route between Windhoek and Franfurt. Condor Airlines is Germany’s third biggest airline, part of the international Thomas Cook Airline Group, and would fly between Frankfurt and Windhoek twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays.
Welcoming the airline were Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works and Transport Peter Mwatile, German Ambassador to Namibia Onno Heckmarr, acting Chief Executive Officer of Namibia Airports Company (NAC) Tamer El-Kallawi and Condor Sales and Marketing Representative in Namibia, Heike Schulz. “I would like to welcome you, together with your team, to Namibia and also the whole of airline Condor,” Mwatile said to Captain Dietmar Wolf and his crew.
“Your company has made very good decision to choose Namibia as your business destination. We welcome competition in Namibia as we now feel that the customers to and from Namibia will have a choice,” Mwatile said.
El-Kallawi said NAC is committed to provide world class airport services and abide by the highest safety standards.
“In line with the key lessons learnt during the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Coordinated Validated Mission (ICVM) audit, we at NAC are delighted to announce that the staff had undergone intensive training in aviation safety and security to boost the depth and scope of our operations,” he said.
After ten hours of flight time, Caption Dietmar said he landed safely with a new refurbished long haul aircraft that was as good as new. He said new destinations for any airline is something very special. “This aircraft was the first long haul aircraft that was totally refurbished and rebranded with the Parent Company Thomas Cook’s branding,” he said.
Ambassador Heckmarr said the “addition of another airline offering this route will increase competition which will lead to an increase of the overall quality as customers now have a choice with which airline they wants to travel.”
“A very intensive political dialogue reflects the very special relationship that has emerge between Namibia and Germany. More than 100 000 tourists visits Namibia per year. With another airline now offering flights between Namibia and Germany it will be even easier for them to travel to this wonderful and beautiful country and get to know it’s warm hearted people.
For us it can be a great advantage to Namibia especially at the development of the Infrastructure of tourism. I feel sure and voice the conviction that the fine spirit of co-operation and mutual understanding existing between our two countries and people will intensify in future,” said Ambassador Heckmarr.