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Air Namibia and Lufthansa

Air Namibia Targets European Market with Lufthansa

AIR NAMIBIA TARGETS EUROPEAN MARKET, CONCLUDES DEAL WITH LUFTHANSA

Air Namibia and LufthansaWindhoek, 18th March 2014:  In line with our strategic objectives of strengthening our network and increase access to more markets, Air Namibia is focussed on expanding its presence and reach in Europe. The recently launched campaign aims to offer its customers “one-stop” air connectivity to the rest of Europe, apart from Frankfurt, Germany, where the airline currently operates a direct flight from Windhoek.

Air Namibia operates 6 flights per week between Frankfurt and Windhoek during low season, and 7 flights per week during high season which starts from July to end of November each year, and these are serviced using the two brand new Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The A330-200 comes in a two class configuration of 30 business class and 214 economy class seats. Business Class seats offer a full flat bed, with individual monitors and video on demand while economy class seats also have individual monitors with video on demand.

Air Namibia is currently actively promoting the greater part of Europe, including countries such as Russia and Turkey as well as the Middle East and the Far East. We are also looking at offering connectivity to other key German cities apart from Frankfurt.

Xavier Masule, General Manager: Commercial Services says in order to access these beyond markets optimally, Air Namibia has to forge smart alliances with airlines operating in Europe.

“It is necessary for Air Namibia to partner with appropriate airlines to feed into our flights at Frankfurt.  Frankfurt is Lufthansa’s hub and this makes Lufthansa the most appropriate and ideal airline to partner with,” says Masule.

Hence, effective 1 Dec 2013, an “airline to airline” commercial partnership agreement was concluded and implemented between Air Namibia and Lufthansa..

“This agreement enables traffic to feed and de-feed (traffic exchange) at Frankfurt between Lufthansa and Air Namibia with a convenient ‘one stop’ connection to more than 63 cities in Europe, including big cities in Germany on one issued ticket by Air Namibia,” Masule adds.

The move should be a welcome relief to travellers from Windhoek wishing to visit cities in Europe and vice versa as all other options for travel between any European destination and Windhoek involves either a minimum of two stops or at least a leg to be served using a train journey, which is long, inconvenient and time consuming.

“Europe is now more accessible and convenient than ever before. Air Namibia gives passengers access to multiple cities within each European country on a one ticket and one stop journey,” Masule concluded.

With its new alliance Air Namibia offers one-stop connectivity to the following countries;

1 United Kingdom & Ireland – 5 cities 15 Latvia
2 France – 5 cities 16 Lithuania
3 Italy – 7 cities 17 Malta
4 Austria 18 Netherlands
5 Belgium 19 Norway
6 Bulgaria 20 Poland
7 Cyprus 21 Portugal
8 Czeck republic 22 Russia
9 Denmark 23 Scotland
10 Estonia 24 Spain
11 Finland 25 Sweden
12 Germany – 12 cities 26 Switzerland
13 Greece 27 Turkey
14 Hungary 28 Ukraine