2015-07-08Staff Report 2 Katima Mulilo Air Namibia has decided to restore its flights between Windhoek and Rundu, as well as between Windhoek and Katima Mulilo. The new flights will operate from Eros airport instead of Hosea Kutako International Airport (HKIA), located about 40 km east of Windhoek. Air Namibia took a decision to change the landing terminal in March this year, a move met with disdain from many passengers, particularly business travellers. Many passengers had complained it would be more costly and was likely to inconvenience them to land and board flights at the HKIA. Adding weight to a chorus of criticism over the unpopular decision by the national airliner was the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa, who questioned the rationale behind the move. He also wrote a strongly worded letter to Air Namibia chairperson Herald Schmidt opposing the decision. Air Namibia seems to have succumbed to public pressure and recently ran a weeklong notice of schedule changes for flights to Katima Mulilo, Rundu and Ondangwa. Air Namibia had earlier clarified that their decision to re-route flights to HKIA was necessitated by traffic growth, as well as to minimise costs. Air Namibia spokesperson Paul Nakawa explained at the time that the decision to move flights was a business decision aimed at minimising aircraft positioning costs and increasing the availability on scheduled commercial flights. ‘Positioning costs’ entail flying aircraft from its original hub at HKIA to Eros airport while empty in order to carry local passengers to their various destinations. 2015-07-08Staff Report 2
