26 Feb 2019

Air Botswana has embarked on improving domestic connectivity in addition to regional expansion as part of its plans to transform business following completion of the first phase of the re-fleeting exercise. 

The public relations officer of the airline, Mr Thabiso Leshoai said in an interview that Air Botswana would introduce a connection flight between Francistown and Kasane which would be followed by the Francistown and Maun flight. 

He said regionally, the airline would recommence direct flights between Gaborone and Cape Town. 

After several years off the Johannesburg-Kasane route, Air Botswana would re-introduce the route later this year, he said. 

Mr Leshoai said in support of increased commercial activities and movement of people between Botswana and its northern neighbours, Air Botswana would also recommence flights from Gaborone to Harare and Lusaka. He added that it would be a triangular operation starting from Gaborone to Harare and onwards to Lusaka. 

“We are pleased to be able to reintroduce additional routes, and we are especially excited that Batswana will now have improved domestic connectivity with an upgraded aircraft fleet that is faster and more reliable,” he said. 

Mr Leshoai said the route expansion was being supported by a revised fare structure, which has been borne out of increased efficiency per seat cost due to the airline operating bigger capacity aircraft. 

He said the airline management had taken a decision to discount some of their fares by up to 25 per cent on certain routes, more especially domestic routes.

He said Air Botswana received a twin-engine jet in December last year, which forms part of the upgraded Air Botswana fleet. 

Mr Leshoai said the new routes would all be implemented in the first quarter of the 2019/20 financial year. Ends