By: Nghiinomenwa Erastus
After it has also rebranded to FlyNamibia, the only country airline has also promised to award bursaries to aircraft engineers, pilots and cabin crews from 2022.
The company management announced during its rebranding event in Windhoek last week.
The management indicated that their rebranding symbolises airline responsibilities and the nations’ commitment towards each other.
The chief executive office of Westair Aviation, Henri van Schalkwyk indicated that the airline acknowledges and accepts our responsibility to grow and develop aviation in Namibia.
As a result, they have launched an aviation-focused bursary scheme.
In 2022 Westair Aviation will provide bursaries to 10 aspiring aircraft
engineers and 10 aspiring pilots and cabin crew (Namibians).
Schalkwyk said the fortunate students, whilst they are busy with their formal training, will also receive exposure to every aspect of the aviation business in parallel.
“So when they qualify as pilots or aircraft engineers, they have a good foundation of real
world aviation experience,” he said.
The program will give students exposure to all aspects of the industry as they receive specialised training to become aircraft engineers, aircrew and ground support personnel.
Schalkwyk added that the funding of future aviation professionals is the company taking on the responsibility to contribute to developing the Namibian aviation sector.
“Our vision is that if we grow our skills base of Namibian aviation professionals, this will result in Namibia becoming completely self-sufficient in terms of providing specialised aviation services,” he said.
Schalkwyk said the aviation company has been prioritising skills development, and they hope to take it to a new level to ensure a sustainable future for the local sector.
Chairman of Westair Aviation Group Wolfgang Grellmann noted that is a whole new dimension as the company set its sights even higher and embarked on a journey.
He said their new journey would not only broaden their horizons but hopefully that of the country, as Namibia’s largest aviation.
THE SAFARI ROUTE
FlyNamibia wants to take on the responsibility to contribute towards the growth and the development of the Namibian economy, especially in a post-Covid-19 environment.
The management explained that their contribution would be/is to enable connections for business, families, and the government and, most crucially, for the travel and tourism sector.
Westair Aviation has launched under its new brand a Safari schedule.
The schedule promises to connect the best that Namibia has to offer to the major tourist destinations in Southern Africa.
Starting in April of 2022, Westair Aviation will, under its new brand “FlyNamibia”, operate a daily schedule between Windhoek, Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and Etosha.
FlyNamibia will also operate daily flights between Katima Mulilo and Vicotria Falls.
The management highlighted that their new schedule is crucial to assist the Namibia tourism sector to recover.
They hope that its objective of giving fast air access to leisure travellers to Namibia’s flagship tourism destinations will be realised quicker and on a sound commercial basis.
The Safari FlyWestair Route is being launched at the start of the Namibian Festive Season. Domestic travellers want to take leisure travels and holidays to many parts of the country’s beautiful places.
The deputy minister of environment, forestry and tourism, Heather Sibungo, who also spoke during the airline’s rebranding, highlighted accessibility to the leading tourism destinations as a priority programme in its Tourism Recovery Plan.
Tourist statistical reports have shown sustained annual increases in tourist arrivals to Namibia since independence, going from 560 thousand in 1999 to a record high of around 1,6 million tourist arrivals in 2019.
The deputy minister has also cautioned the tourism linked sectors that providing excellent customer services to the travellers will be crucial to maintaining the country as a top destination.
“This will only be achieved through an understanding of the importance of tourism to our national economy and its contribution to our livelihoods through employment creation,” said Sibungo.
He added that Namibia launched a domestic tourism campaign aimed at activating and increasing local tourism demand. Email: erastus@thevillager.com.na
