Despite suffering heavy financial losses, Air Namibia has pledged to go ahead with replacing its ageing Boeing 747SP, but may downgrade its ambition to acquire a new-generation aircraft.
The airline had been considering acquiring a new aircraft such as the Boeing 777 or Airbus Industrie A340, but is now looking at the feasibility of leasing a Boeing 767-200ER or McDonnell Douglas DC-10 in the short term.
The aircraft will replace its 747SP, which is leased from South African Airways, on services from Windhoek to London, UK, and Frankfurt, in Germany.
Air Namibia admits that its latest annual losses of around N$40 million ($8 million) are much bigger than expected. It blames a drop in tourism and a hike in fuel prices which has made the 747SP uneconomic, as well as a steady fall in the value of the Namibian dollar.
The airline is also considering acquiring a second Boeing 737-200 for service on regional routes, and 30-seat turboprops, such as the Fairchild Dornier 328 and Embraer Brasilia, to replace a fleet of 19-seat Beech 1900Cs.
Source: Flight International
