By Kaleb Nghishidivali
Lüderitz, August 3 – FlyNamibia celebrated the official inauguration of its scheduled flight service to Lüderitz on August 2, 2023, successfully bridging an essential air gap between Windhoek and Lüderitz.
The inauguration ceremony was graced by the presence of distinguished officials, including Alette Fredrick, Governor of Karas Region; Cllr B. Mckay, Mayor of Lüderitz; Sebastien Minot, the French Ambassador to Namibia; Laurent Roche, Country Chair of TotalEnergies Namibia; Henri Van Schalkwyk, CEO of FlyNamibia; and other esteemed personalities.
The Mayor of Lüderitz commended the launch as a significant achievement for the local community and the broader business sector. He highlighted the new FlyNamibia route’s potential to remove trade barriers, stimulate tourism, and attract further international investments, promising a prosperous future for Lüderitz.
Leonard Shiputa, Executive Director of the Namibia Airports Company (NAC), warmly welcomed FlyNamibia to Lüderitz Airport and praised their commitment to efficient and safe air travel. He pledged to enhance the airport’s infrastructure to meet the demands of partners and support the region’s growth.
Aleta Fredericks, Governor of Karas Region, expressed her pleasure and pride in celebrating the introduction of FlyNamibia’s scheduled service to Lüderitz. She extended her gratitude to FlyNamibia and TotalEnergies for their collaboration in this vital development, emphasizing the new air link’s potential to stimulate sustainable development and inclusive growth.
Laurent Roche, Country Director of TotalEnergies Namibia, reiterated the company’s commitment to Namibia and its people, noting their active involvement in offshore operations for a year. He announced that four months of subsidies from TotalEnergies would allow FlyNamibia to test the route’s sustainability, further bolstering the Lüderitz business community.
Andre Compion, Managing Director of FlyNamibia, expressed gratitude to all attendees for their presence at the service launch. He acknowledged TotalEnergies’ essential role in reintroducing scheduled air travel to Lüderitz and thanked them for their unwavering support. He also recognized the NAC’s dedication to improving Lüderitz Airport’s infrastructure, mentioning the construction of a multi-million hangar facility by FlyNamibia’s sister company, Westair.
Compion emphasized that the Oil and Gas Industry’s involvement in offshore resources development brings prosperity to Lüderitz and its inhabitants. He proudly stated that FlyNamibia looks forward to a period of growth and advancement for Lüderitz and the entire Karas Region. He invited the community to utilize FlyNamibia’s services to Windhoek and beyond, reaffirming the company’s commitment to advancing the aviation industry and providing the necessary connectivity for the country’s flourishing business and tourism sectors. – Namibia Daily News
