NDN Staffer
WINDHOEK, Sept. 4 — The Namibian High Court has dismissed an appeal by Menzies Aviation Namibia against its eviction from Windhoek International Airport, imposing costs on the ground handler.
High Court Judge Hannelie Prinsloo, in a ruling on September 1, determined that Menzies Aviation had no legal basis to demand the continuation of its ground handling services at the airport, nor any legal entitlement to occupy Namibia Airports Company (NAC) premises at the airport.
Judge Prinsloo upheld the NAC’s right to enforce prior judgments issued in June 2022 by the High Court and in June 2023 by the Supreme Court, which resulted in Menzies Namibia’s eviction from the airport premises. She declared the matter concluded and removed it from the court’s agenda.
Menzies Aviation Namibia had contested the legality of the NAC’s decision to award the ground handling contract to Paragon Aviation Services, a joint venture between the NAC and Ethiopian Airlines. Menzies argued that the NAC had not followed proper procurement procedures in awarding the contract to Paragon Aviation Services.
However, Judge Prinsloo found that the NAC had adhered to the correct procedures and found no evidence of wrongdoing. She also noted that Menzies Aviation failed to provide any evidence to support its claims of improper conduct by the NAC.
The dismissal of Menzies Aviation’s appeal is a significant setback for the ground handler, preventing it from resuming ground handling operations at Windhoek International Airport.
The NAC has affirmed its commitment to collaborating with Paragon Aviation Services to ensure uninterrupted ground-handling services at the airport. Additionally, the NAC is addressing the cargo security manager validation issue that led to some airlines suspending services at the airport.
The dismissal of Menzies Aviation’s appeal marks a pivotal development in the ongoing dispute over the ground handling contract at Windhoek International Airport. The possibility of further appeal to the Supreme Court remains uncertain.
