13 Mar 2018

Air Botswana does not operate domestic services to Orapa, Selibe-Phikwe, Shakawe or Ghanzi, says Minister of Transport and Communications, Mr Kitso Mokaila.

 Mr Mokaila said Air Botswana had limited equipment and was therefore unable to reach many centres at present.

“The current focus of Air Botswana is to re-fleet in order to regain the market share lost as a result of grounding jet aircraft, and will evaluate additional routes, including the aforementioned destinations and other economically viable centres,” he said.

Minister Mokaila said “the South African (SA) Air Link operates into both Maun and Kasane from Johannesburg, and unfortunately Air Botswana does not have service into Kasane from Johannesburg because of unavailability of equipment.”

He said Air Botswana operated a 47-seater turbo propeller aircraft from Johannesburg into Maun compared to 90 plus seats superior jet by SA Air Link. He noted that it implied that SA Air Link had a bigger market share of customers into these tourists centres. “It is for this reason that Air Botswana re-fleeting is so critical,” he said.

The MP for Selibe-Phikwe West, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse had wanted to know if Air Botswana did not service places like Orapa, Ghanzi, Selibe-Phikwe and Shakawe inter alia other major centres.

He also wanted to know why and what the airline and government were doing to expand its scope of reach. He also asked if it was true that SAA Express and South African Air Link transported more tourists from abroad to Maun and Kasane than Air Botswana.

Responding to another question from the same MP, Minister Mokaila said ground handling services at national airports had been provided by Air Botswana and aircraft ground handling company owned by Batswana.

He told Parliament that the services had recently been liberalised and that two Batswana owned companies had been granted authorisation to enter into business. He added that they were currently in the process of commencing operations.

MP Keorapetse had asked the minister if there was consideration by Air Botswana or the Civil Authority of Botswana to reserve certain aviation auxiliary services such as baggage handling and aircraft cleaning for Batswana owned companies, and to end contracts of foreign origin companies like Menzies and Swissport or others currently operating in Botswana.  ENDS