16 Dec 2019

Vice President Slumber Tsogwane and some cabinet colleagues were among spectators who thronged Sir Seretse Khama Airport December 15 to witness the inaugural landing of Qatar Airways.

Speaking in an interview after the Airbus A350-900 touched down, Minister of Transport and Communications Mr Thulagano Segokgo said the airline’s should present endless opportunities for Botswana.

He said the new Doha to Gaborone via Johannesburg route should be sustained and developed in an effort to reap abundant economic opportunities.

Mr Segokgo said Air Botswana should be able to get revenue from the new arrangement.

Quizzed on why Qatar delayed its  Botswana service, Mr Segokgo said a few hiccups had to be addressed first.

One involved ground handling services but Air Botswana had since partnered  with a South Africa company for capacity building purposes, the minister said.

He said having two Batswana flight attendants was indicative of the airline’s intention to engage locals in the business.

Information and Broadcasting deputy permanent secretary Mr Oshinka Tsiang was one of the 69 passengers on the maiden flight.

Speaking in an interview, Mr Tsiang said he was proud to have been part of the historic flight.

He said Qatar Airways was an airline of international repute that had recently been voted the best airline in the world by Skytrax.

Mr Tsiang applauded the service offered on the flight saying airline’s arrival offered hope for Botswana.

The aircraft returned to Doha the same day with 54 passengers. ENDS