22 October 2024
FRANCISTOWN: Executives at the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) have revealed that the air transport regulator was in negotiations with a European airline that is interested in operating flights to Maun.
Speaking during a media engagement here, CAAB CEO Dr Bao Rasebolai Mosinyi, said they are still having conversations with the said carrier, adding that at this point, they can’t name the specific airline for several reasons. He further explained in the aviation industry, the airline is the first to announce news. According to Mosinyi, in order to get ready for the airline, the Maun International Airport had to undergo some renovations in the previous few months.
“According to the papers, the runway in Maun was not strong enough, so it had to be renovated to ensure that it will allow the airline to fly from Europe to Maun,” he told a press briefing recently at the Cresta Thapama Hotel.
“We are very confident that the European airline will be flying to Maun at the start of the European tourism peak season, which is around April and May,” he added.
Mosinyi stated that they are looking into all forms of connectivity, including flights from Middle Eastern, African, and European airlines. He said they are interested in both passenger and cargo airlines.
Additionally, he revealed last week they also met with a potential cargo airline that is interested in flying to Botswana and they brought all the stakeholders on board. Mosinyi said the Civil Aviation Authority Act is clear that promoting aviation in Botswana is the responsibility of CAAB. He further elaborated that the Act impresses upon them as an organisation to get to where they can sustain themselves. According to Dr Mosinyi, during the financial year that covered most of the COVID-19 period ,CAAB generated P62 million. In the year prior, their best yet, they generated P176 million and in March 2023 they made P101 million.
He indicated that during the year that March, they generated P265 million and are working on the part of their strategic intent to generate half a billion pula per year. Dr Mosinyi had earlier mentioned that CAAB is now focused on attracting new airlines to fly into the country.
He said there is no point in having great facilities that comply with OAO standards and scores when no one is flying in. The plan is for those to be the foundations through which they can entice and coax airlines, as they would have something to sell, he added. He stated that CAAB recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Botswana Air Access and that they will be collaborating with partners including Business Botswana, Travel Agent Association Botswana (TAAB), BTO, BNTC, and HATAB.
Source: The Monitor (Botswana)
