Namibia is moving forward with plans to launch a new national airline but will not revive the defunct Air Namibia (Windhoek International) brand, according to Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi. While no launch date has been announced, Nekundi said the process is well underway and a clearer timeline may emerge in the next month or two.
In an interview with Namibia's New Era newspaper, he said the focus is on building a sustainable airline from scratch. "We are not reviving Air Namibia. We are reviving a national airline. Once we are at the appropriate time, we shall then look at the appropriate name," he said.
Air Namibia, the country’s former flag carrier, was voluntarily liquidated under the previous administration in March 2021 after after costing the nation NAD8 billion Namibian dollars (USD453 million) in state bailouts over three decades. Nekundi cited "serious mismanagement" and "a lack of accountability" as key factors in its collapse.
Despite the past, he expressed confidence that a new airline could succeed under proper oversight. "If we make decisions that are in the best interest of the company, the taxpayer and Namibia, the airline will flourish," he said.
As previously reported, Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has pledged full support for the initiative. She has allocated NAD20 million (USD1.13 million) for a feasibility study into a national carrier, with funding managed by the ministry under Nekundi. The establishment of a national airline is included in the ruling South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO) election manifesto implementation plan.
Nandi-Ndaitwah sees the the new flag carrier as part of broader efforts to improve the country’s transport sector and boost regional and international connectivity, noting that weak transport links remain a barrier to trade and could limit Namibia’s benefits from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
According to ch-aviation data, Namibia's main international airport, Windhoek International, is predominantly served by foreign airlines with South African regional carrier Airlink (South Africa) holding the largest market share in terms of weekly airline seats (29%). Airlink is a minority shareholder of local private carrier FlyNamibia (WV, Windhoek Eros), which codeshares with Airlink and independently serves Cape Town International, Victoria Falls, Maun and Mpacha/Katima Mulilo from Windhoek International and other domestic routes from the city airport Windhoek Eros.
Others serving Windhoek International (Hosea Kutako International) include Germany's Discover Airlines (24.67%), South African Airways (23.22%), and Ethiopian Airlines (16.27%), with smaller market shares held by TAAG Angola Airlines, FlySafair, Air Botswana, and Fly Angola.
