Air Namibia update

[twinvan]

So just to get everyone up to speed on the happenings of Air Namibia and its great management team..

The first 3 AA candidates have just been sent off to the States to go get their FAA ATPL's because they simply cannot pass the Icao exams. Scary aint it. Two B190 captains that have already done a b732 ground school had to go for a refresher course because the ground school was done over 3 months ago. And when time came to send them to sim their course got postponed yet again!

Could this be because of the 3 AA's thats in the states and they are waiting for them to get the just add water ATP and as a heroes welcome they might just be pushed in front of the two eligible captains meant to go the the fluffy?

I wonder..

[line-driver]

b732 ground school had to go for a refresher course because the ground school was done over 3 months ago. And when time came to send them to sim their course got postponed yet again! could also be that Comair is so far behind in just trying to retrain F/O's to Capt that for the first time in history the simulator is overbooked right thru X/mas, and the crew currently being trained are also awaiting start dates at EK, so could be a feeble attempt to maintain staff levels, but what can they do, and thus there is no place to accommodate the Namibia pilots needs for simulator training at Comair.

[Voel]

Namibia: Airline Hits Turbulence in Ghana Airspace

Namibia Economist (Windhoek)

Des
Windhoek

Ghanaian authorities have put in motion attempts to block the Namibian national air carrier from operating a twice a week flight schedule on behalf of an independent airline in Ghana, the Economist has learnt.

A high level delegation from Ghana arrived in Windhoek last week to meet with officials from Air Namibia, and the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication.

Air Namibia has reached an agreement with an unspecified independent air carrier to fly its excess passengers between Ghana and the United Kingdom.

The independent air carrier is said to be inundated with excess passengers which it can no longer accommodate and had identified Air Namibia as a cost-effective and reliable airliner to partner with. The arrangement would see Air Namibia flying passengers from Ghana to the UK twice every week. This agreement is also set to bring extra cash into Air Namibia's coffers.

According to sources in the airline industry, the Abuja Treaty on intra-African air transport requires that such agreements must first be announcement after which a period should be given for objections, if any, from the affected parties.

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority is said to have taken the advantage and objected as provided by the treaty. The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority is tasked with navigational services, air traffic services, licensing of aircraft and their personnel operating within their jurisdiction, and the regulation of the air transport industry in Ghana. It also regulates airspace over Ghana.

It has already given in writing its formal objections to both Air Namibia and the independent Ghanaian air carrier. The next step was to respond to, and address, the objections raised.

"Their objections did not carry any valid reasons," a source from the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications said last week. The meeting of last week was to consider the arguments raised in the objections from the Ghanaian officials.

Although various senior officials at the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications seemed to know of last week's meeting, none could provide more detail of what transpired in the meeting. The under secretary for air transport service, Joe Shipepe, referred all enquiries to the under secretary for civil aviation and to Kosmos Egumbo, the chief executive officer of Air Namibia. Egumbo did not respond to written questions e-mailed to his office. The Air Namibia official working on the project, Xavier Masule, was said to be out of the country.

In another airline move, Air Namibia leased two Boeing 737-500s, going back on its strategy to convert its fleet to Airbus aircraft. The delivery of the first Boing 737-500 aircraft was done last week with the second delivery expected early next year. Air Namibia also intend to purchase one or two aircraft for long-haul, hinted to be Boeings, to replace the current Airbus A340-300 of which the lease come to an end next year.

The Boeing 737-500 aircraft are leased from Capex Leasing Limited for five years. Air Namibia described the newly acquired aircraft as of superior reliability, fuel efficient and economic to operate. The two aircraft will be used to serve regional routes to Luanda, Cape Town and Johannesburg.

[twinvan]

The first of the 737-500's arrived in windhoek over 3 weeks ago and has been standing on the apron moth-balled ever since! Wonder how much money we lose on a daily basis with this a/c being parked instead of in the air? Not all crew trained yet and no performance books were ready when delivery date came either!

Great planning guys:D

[Buzz Control]

Does anyone know what Air Namibia plan to replace the A343's with yet?

Also seen that as of 18th Jan 08 Air Namibia are reducing WDH to LGW from 3 flts aweek to 2, & increasing WDH to FRA from 4 flts a week to 5.

[twinvan]

The a340's should have about another 4 years left on the contract. No news on any replacement yet. Management will probably only start looking in the last couple of months of the contract. At this stage the only planning is going into ways and means of fast tracking the AA candidates and not much else at all. Management have even refused to engage in pilot salary negotiations can you believe it?! They claim that there was no provision made for it in the collective agreement with the Pilots Union and so they do not have to talk salaries until such time as the collective agreement is renewed.

How and where do you even start with such idiots?:ugh:

[Phenom]

Just a correction on twinvan's misleading statement, the drivers in question opted for the States by choice and at NO Air Namibia's cost what so ever. It is obvious that Air Namibia have an AA policy at hand but that does not intervene with the pool's career path. :=

[twinvan]

You seem to know alot about the deal struck between management and the three people in question. Were you perhaps one of them and then please do share the details of the deal you made...:eek:

As for the part of no cost to company: Who paid for your tickets to and from the states, accomodation, courses, exams etc?!

Furthermore the beech1900's that were parked and flights cancelled because there were not enough f/o's to do the flights while the 3 had to go at any and all costs, how much did that cost Air Namibia and its public name?

Lastly the part of "does not intervene with pool's career path" Why is there an aa pilot on the B732 fleet that never flew any domestic a/c as a commander before elligble for promotion as the ops manual clearly states? How did he slip through without help from management?

Get your facts straight!!

[Pow-wow]

Well said twinvan,

You beat me too it...:ok:

[square-head]

Heard from a reliable source that the acting Senior Flt Ops Manager was posted because he could not smoke the pipe. Any truth in this?

[twinvan]

Absolute fact about the acting SM. Flt Ops. Didnt even know how to hold the pipe or light it up let alone smoke it...

[Phenom]

Let me rather congratulate :D you for knowing so much about them, I wonder why:confused:. I personally know some of their staff and talking of tickets, that's supposed to be their benefit for use any day. The rest as I said earlier was from their own pockets. Info from a reliable source: Flight cancellation is normal at SW during holidays and was not due to crew shortage. Quote: "Lastly the part of "does not intervene with pool's career path" Why is there an aa pilot on the B732 fleet that never flew any domestic a/c as a commander before elligble for promotion as the ops manual clearly states?" The AA flying the fluffy has a frozen ATPL because he does not meet all the requirements to command the Beech but can be reviewed for a promo. Who ever gave you the glimpe of their FOM should get you an update (illegal though).

[Voel]

I see and hear that Air Namibia are doing their first flight with the B735 to Cape Town this morning. Saw them dusting off the aircraft the past two days already. Twinvan, maybe you should see these things at Air Namibia not as a problem, but merely as a challenge. I'm trying to do it my side as well, although a bit difficult. At least I have the politicians and management behind me.

Good luck

[freesky]

These are just symptoms…:ugh:
1) There were flights cancelled because of Staff shortages. (Vic Falls; Maun; Ondangwa etc.):D
2) The way Air Namibia OPS is run, you can forget a logical, true and honest answer.:*
3) The pool's career path is a joke. (If you were not ready for the move when required and somebody below you was; TUFF tickets. Wait until ex-cabin crew start to demand seniority after obtaining a CPL.):yuk:
4) Crew scheduling is a total mess: Pilot’s and Cabin Crew alike. (Pilot’s and Cabin Crew unions have to work together to force management to follow international accepted norms.):yuk:
5) Cabin Crew Union executive members have been promoted into management positions to shut them up. (Luckily nobody lasts there for more than 3 years).:=
6) Very loyal Pilots are leaving. (2 have gone in Dec; at least 5 more to follow):D
The list goes on and on and on…

The day when Air Namibia will be refused to fly into Europe because the NAMIBIAN DCA is blacklisted is on the horizon. An ex-director prevented a blacklisting in early December 2007 but by the next ICAO ex-co meeting, things in the Namibian DCA must have changed for the better.

:=THE CEO’S ARE HIGHER CONNECTED THAN THE DCA.:=
THE FACT IS THAT THE NAMIBIAN DCA HAS BEEN TO WEAK TO DO THE REQUIRED JOB! LETS HOPE THINGS CHANGE NOW THAT A NEW DIRECTOR HAS BEEN APPOINTED.

[Buzz Control]

Freesky

What on earth gives you the idea that the Namibian DCA will be banned? Surely Air Namibia;s maintenance is carried out in South Africa & the EU? Plus do you know when the next ICAO meeting to adjust the EU Blacklist is?

[Voel]

Namibian DCA banned??????:ugh: Nobody talked of being banned. The country's safety oversight report will be put on the internet for public use. Its then up to each airline, organisation etc to decide whether its safe or not to fly into or over that country.

[freesky]

Buzz: Sorry to offend you, but all these things are interlinked.

If the maintenance is done so consistently; and as mentioned by you; done by the EU and South Africa, then why were the V5 and other registered B737-200, belonging to the same company and being maintained there, not temporarily withdrawn as was done with all the ZS registered B737-200?

To operate into the USA on a schedule the departure point must be Category 1 classified.
Nearly the same rule applies to the EU.

SEE Nigeria, Swaziland, Angola etc.

Also have a look at the bilateral agreements and insurance requirements.

Ps. A DCA cannot be banned, but aircraft can be turned around.
The DCA is not loosing, it is everybody else whose license is not worth the paper…

[Buzz Control]

freesky

Thanks for the prompt reply. You did not upset me.... just had me worried as I have a Flight booked from LGW to WDH with Air Namibia in early Feb. As I understand it the 343's are maintained by Virgin at LGW & by Lufthansa Technik in FRA. I also am lead to believe that the 732 / 735's are maintained by Safair in SA. I have seen the thread for the SACAA FAA Audit & see where you are coming from in your text.

Buzz

[Pow-wow]

alpha99....:confused:....one of two things had just happened when you posted at 02:29...:

1) You forgot..AGAIN...to take your medication:cool:

2) You finally finished that bottle of meths sitting in your house :}

I must say that I hav'nt laughed so much in ages, and you obviously dont have a clue what your talking about.:ok:

PS. Maybe you can delight us all with the plans for the new and improved location of WDH "alil" closer to the city...perhaps the model airstrip near Hoffnung would do ?!?:)

[Buzz Control]

Alpha 99

1. Which hill are you going to place the new WDH on top of? :ugh:

2. Please dont drink & PPruNe. :=

[B747ATP]

Don't forget that if there is a black listing of any kind towards a DCA or CAA by ICAO, IATA looks at it very closely. We must not forget that being in an African Country you run the higher risk of being black listed as a company due to the current affairs that africa is surrounded by internationally. The EU doesn't not take safety as a joke and people need to wake up and smell the coffee cause Southern africa will soon be loosing alot money due to the lack of tourists.

If Namibia is blacklisted all airlines will be forced by the insurance brookers to fly around the Namibian airspace and if the fly in/through the airspace they will not be financially covered by these companies.

Atleas then Air Nam can fly directly to Ghana:D

[ZSCHR]

I've heared Nam Air is going to cancel their route to LGW
Anything true?

[vaninnam]

no just reducing frequency to 2 flightts a week and increase FRA to 5 times

[ZSCHR]

Ja, I know, but a friend tried to book a flight from London to Windhoek in September and they told him that it wouldn't be possible...

[Buzz Control]

ZSCHR

I have just run two checks on travel websites in the UK to cover all of September, & funny old thing I can book flights all through September for LGW to WDH rtn. You have been well & truly MISS-INFORMED. :ok:

[ZSCHR]

Ok thank you:)

[Knormoer]

Just read on Die Republikein website that Namibia's national soccer team left on an Air Namibia flight for Ghana. Did they fly to London or Frankfurt and then on another carrier to Ghana or did Air Nam take them directly there? Lets face it, Nam isnt known for their Soccer stars and Air Nam isnt really rolling in the money so I really hope the latter isnt true!

[Voel]

Air Nam did a technical stop in Ghana on their way from London to Windhoek. I believe that they operate anyway a flight between London and Accra on behalf of another airline. So its not much of a dogleg they have to fly.

[Knormoer]

Thanx Voel, good to hear!:)

[ZSCHR]

Hi,
there's currently N803DE (World Airways MD11) flying for -NME and im March a 744 will fly for -NMF because of maintenance.

Does anybody know from wich airline the 747 will be?

[Alan Tracey]

B744 is from Oasis Hong Kong I believe.

[xavierb]

Yes indeed. We (I mean Oasis Hong Kong) are going to operate the Gatwick and Frankfurt with our 744 , starting end of March, for 4 to 5 weeks, while Air Namibia has its 340 in the hangar.
Oasis is getting its 5th 744 within a couple of weeks, and the a/c was available for lease untill some time in the summer when we'll start to fly to our new destination...
FYI: Our 744 are ex Singapore (A § B), and ANA (C,D,E). The Cpt (and many F/O's) are all ex BA or Cathay.Other F/O's from the rest of the world..
I'll be operating some of those flights as F/O. Could someone from Air Namibia tell me if, while I'll be there, I'll have a chance to have a jumpseat or reduced fair with you guys, for flight to Capetown or Victoria falls ?? Any contact?
Thanks!
Xavier