Under pressure Air Namibia has been cleared by the Namibian High Court to resume services after its operating licence was suspended amid continued financial concerns.
The airline had been blocked from operating scheduled flights after Namibia’s transport commission suspended the carrier’s air services licence as of midnight on 8 July. The Namibian, citing a memo issued by the transport commission, said the airline had been given until 22 July to provide evidence it had obtained funding to meet the requirements of the country’s air services act.
But in a statement issued today, the carrier says “the suspension of AIr Namibia’s service licences has been been upended” by the High Court. “Air Namibia shall continue to fly all domestic flights as per [the] published schedule,” the airline adds.
The carrier’s regional and international services remain suspended amid continued border controls related to tackling the coronavirus pandemic.
Last month Namibian president Hage Geingob cast doubt the about the future of the loss-making airline by suggesting it may need to be liquidated.
“We have a very serious problem with Air Namibia,” he said, answering questions after delivering his state-of-the-nation speech on 4 June. Geingob said the airline has been “bailed out, bailed out”, but indicated that recommended measures to cut routes – such as the key Frankfurt service – would not be welcomed.
“But it must be restructured,” he says. “If liquidation is the thing, we must do that.”
Namibian finance minister Iipumbu Shiimi was earlier this month reported to have told parliament that the government was considering several options for the carrier.
Air Namibia operates a small fleet including Airbus A330s and A319s, plus Embraer regional jets.
