11 Mar 2018

Parliament has learnt that Air Botswana will be privatised, the desire being to have an operationally efficient airline that will be valuable and attractive to potential investors.

Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Kitso Mokaila told Parliament on Thursday that one of the priority preparatory actions was to increase the intrinsic value of Air Botswana.

“Among these is to implement a fleet renewal plan, which will see the airline acquire new aircraft,” he said.

Mr Mokaila stated that Air Botswana’s model was that of a regional feeder airline, as it feeds into OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and Cape Town International Airport.

“The airline similarly transports tourists and business people from international carriers in these airports to key tourist and business destinations in Botswana,” he said. In addition, he said, Air Botswana would consider different operating models once ‘it is able to optimally and successfully operate its current model.’

He was responding to MP for Selebi Phikwe West, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse, who asked him if Air Botswana would be privatised and to explain why, how, when and if  government had considered the Ethiopian Airlines model before thinking of privatisation of the national airline. Ends