Air Namibia calls it quits

• Airline announced that all its aircraft would be grounded
• Decision to shut down 75-year-old airline follows the carrier’s board’s resignation on February 3
• Air Namibia’s fleet entailed four A319-100s, two A330-200s, four EMB-135ERs, and one inactive B737-500

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75-year-old Air Namibia has announced the cancellation of all its operations with all its aircraft grounded immediately. Its reservations system was suspended with no new bookings being accepted from February 11, 2021. Passengers have been advised to register claims for refunds.

The troubled carrier that had been losing money for years, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, announced that it plans to enter voluntary liquidation.

The government of Namibia has already approved the voluntary liquidation of the carrier with a three-person board of directors appointed to oversee it. The board includes lawyer Norman Tjombe, businesswoman Hilda Basson-Namundjebo, and economist James Cumming who will collectively assist interim CEO Theo Mberirua in running the company.

Air Namibia’s liquidation will lead to over 600 job losses — the trade union representatives had informed the Air Namibia’s 636 employees yesterday that they would receive an ex gratia pay-out equal to 12 months of salary, but no benefits.

The carrier’s fleet currntly consists of 10 mostly leased aircraft, including two A330s, four A319s, and four ERJ135ERs. The Namibian government has reportedly been in contact with the aircraft lessors.

Air Namibia mostly flew domestic and regional routes, but also operated an international service between Namibia’s capital city of Windhoek and Frankfurt, Germany.