If anyone has or plans to book a flight on Air Namibia.... DON'T.

Air Nam is struggling to pay their fuel bills once again and are cancelling many of their domestic flights and some of their international flights.

We've finally got our paperwork and $ to a lady who's supposed to get our work visas. How's Air Namibia doing? Still in the air?

Yup - just happened to my wife and I this past week.

We had already planned and booked our yearly trip to Namibia and decided to add an 8-day cull hunt with Gerhard and Maggie Koch over in the Tuli Block in Botswana. Only direct flight between Windhoek and Gaborone was Air Namibia and booked it 6-weeks ago.

Flight from Windhoek to Gaborone was in time and the Check-in agent service and flight cabin crew service was very, very good. Coming back was a different story.

This past Monday afternoon, the day before our return flight on Tue, I just happened to check my email and found one from Air Nam that our flight back the next afternoon (Tue) had been CNX'd. OH Shit! We were scheduled to fly home from Windhoek on the Delta/KLM flight back through Amsterdam late Wed afternoon.

Gerhard got on the phone and Air Namibia basically gave us three options, all of which required us to go back via J'berg and all bad connections. Ended up taking the lesser of the three evils - SAA Airlink to JNB, 1.5hr layover and Air Namibia into Windhoek. The lady on the phone confirmed there would be NO PROBLEMS WITH THE RIFLES OR LUGGAGE via JNB as they would be checked all the way through to WDH. Past J'Berg transits, I KNEW there would not be enough time to get the bags from SAA to Air Nam but the other options offered would have required overnighting in JNB. Anyway.....you probably have guessed it, we made it but the bag with ammo and neither rifle case did.

Filed lost/missing bag report with Baggage Service in WDH. Guy was helpful. Said he would call and email JNB and get them on one of the next two flights that same day and call us at our lodging in town. No call so at 9 pm I called him and he said they could not find any of the three bags in JNB but would search again in the morning.

Called at 8am and they DID find all three bags - had never left SAA Airlink, and they would be on the flight that landed at 1 pm in WDH. That was going to work since our KLM flight didn't leave till 5:45pm.

Got to the a/p at 2pm and the flight everything was supposed to be on was DELAYED till 3pm. Now this was getting a little tight. Especially, due to the required firearm transit permits through Amsterdam!

I've been through WDH airport a good bit over the years and recognized one of the NAMPOL Police Sergeants (the lady with the VERY thick glasses). She remembered me and I explained the situation to her. She got her Supervisor I explained the situation to him and the one of the KLM check-in agents and we worked out a plan.

My wife and I checked in with KLM and the printed out the baggage routing tags and gave them to the NAMPOL Supervisor to hold. As soon as the two rifle cases and bag with ammo in it arrived (3:05pm), the Sgt my wife and I and a KLM baggage rep, collected them at the normal Police office inside the secure area between Immigration and baggage claim. The KLM rep handled all three and the NAMPOL treated it as kind of a hybrid "transit" situation.

We all went to the normal NAMPOL outbound firearm office in the main hall and we had to open the rifle cases and the officer compared the serial numbers to our 4457's and he looked at and counted the ammo and we locked it all back up and he put the red stamp on the routing tags the routing tags on the handles and the KLM guy took them straight to the KLM check in agent. They verified everything and we were good to go - with 10 minutes to spare!

While it did manage to work out, the lost sleep and extra stress of the CNX's flight will cause me to NEVER book with Air Namibia again. Shame too since we took the Frankfurt to WDH flight the first year they opened and we've taken Air Nam to Vic Falls twice.

Now with other options flying into WDH and now Gaborone that also avoid J'berg, we'll never fly Air Namibia or SAA again unless it is the absolute last resort.

It wasn't just us either. They guy who arrived in Gaborone the same day we were flying out and hunting with Gerhard too, lost all his luggage in J'berg too. He flew in on SAA Express after overnighting in JNB. The rifle case showed up late that afternoon in Gaborone but, not his luggage with the ammo. They ended up staying overnight in Gaborone and drove to the Tuli the next morning. SAA finally located his bag yesterday but would only get it to Gaborone and someone would have to drive the 3hrs each way to pick it up. Waiting to see how things go on his way home this coming week.

That's why they call Air Namibia, Air MAYBE

The problem is Air Nam is still having problems paying their fuel bills and airport terminal fees. At Hosea Kutako airport (NAC) alone they owe more than $15 million USD in airport fees. And they still cannot pay for maintenance costs on two of their Airbus aircraft; now out of service.

Air Nam cancels flights not because the flights aren't full enough, it's because they cannot pay their fuel bills. It's no secret either, but the gate agents act like every cancelled flight is a shocking surprise to them and are caught completely off guard with no plan whatsoever.

TIA...

Hmmm

It sounds like the NAMPOL officer and the KLM agent were both willing to go out of their way to help. In two trips I've had no difficulties with Namibian officials and have found them mostly pleasant and appreciative of your visit.

Sad indeed travel to Africa is difficult enough especially with fire arms without the uncertainty of an airline that cannot be depended upon . Why would any one fly with them when other airlines are available when ever possible on the dark continent.

Travel arrangements are above my pay grade. Is there only one flight a day from J'berg to Windhoek?
We ran into the same problem in Brazil last July. We had a group of seven travelling together. The airline cancelled our flight an hour before departure, we had two connecting flights following plus a 4 hr. bus ride to our final destination. After midnight a nice lady in our group turned into Attila the Hun and around 2 AM we flew back to another city and on to make our connections. Sometimes nice isn't enough.

We're about a month away from our trip to Namibia. Is Air Nam performing better, worse or about the same?
Thanks for any updates

They haven't won the lottery or suddenly become profitable if that helps...

Be prepared for Plan B if they drop the ball, and the chances for a loose ball are quite high.

It is supposed to be an adventure, right? Altho extra nights in J'berg don't really float my boat..

You can always fly BA or SAA between Jo'burg and Windhoek...

Thanks, I've looked at their schedules.
You may find this interesting. After spending a couple hundred US $, sending more pictures and all sorts of documentation etc. etc. Sweating out the delays in getting the "work visas" before we leave. Today we learned in a new post, "you DON'T need work visas to volunteer at REST". My wife got hers last week, I'm still waiting.
Any suggestions you have re: plan "B" would be appreciated.
Thanks

Yep, as we discussed a while back, work visas are not necessary. Shame you got bad advice from REST and wasted all that time and energy.

In regards to plan B, I would look at BA or SSA and be prepared to book with them should Air Nam decide they don't want to fly that day. And I sure as hell wouldn't wait for Air Nam to figure out how to get you to Windhoek should that happen. So BEFORE you check your bags with them, make damn sure they are planning to fly...

Thanks for the tips re: Air Nam, SAA, BA.
Yes, you did say we didn't need work visas but the folks at REST insisted we did and put us in touch with someone to handle them. We were just adding up the extra costs for those "work visas". Approaching $750 US including the new passports that we really didn't need.

$750?!?!?!?! Fuuuuug.

We may have some time(one or two days) to do a little touring during our stay at REST which is at Outjo, Namibia. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

My wife tells me Thomas Cook (Condor Air) has bit the bullet and has left over half a million people stranded. She recently flew Condor to Amsterdam from Seattle via Portland (unscheduled) where they stayed overnight and changed planes as well.

Yep that would be a big no on Condor as well.

If you're in Outjo, you are not too far from Anderson's Gate into Etosha. You can do day drives from Outjo without any problems. Otherwise, they ain't much to do in Outjo...

Good luck to you and Barb on your adventure, nobull.

Thanks and thanks, getting close to departure next Tuesday. Now the salmon are starting to show, lost one today, #%@!

Nobull: In terms of things to do near Outjo: 1) Daytrip to Etosha is a MUST; 2) There’s a Cheetah Farm due west of Outjo about 70 miles on C40. They have both “tame” and wild cheetahs there;3) Peet Alberts Koppie is about 15 miles further west on C40 toward Kamanjab. Ancient rock engravings that are thousands of years old. Get the key to the gate at Oppi Koppie, a B & B in Kamanjab. Grab a beer or a snack while you’re at Oppi Koppie- the owner, a Belgian gentleman, is a character. Make sure to buy pastries at the Bakkerie in Outjo- their German apple strudel is awesome.

Thanks Bud. What's this key to the gate at Oppi Koppie business?
We have to provide our own groceries so my wife has already zeroed in on the Bakkerie.

Got my unneeded work visa email today. Boy am I thrilled! Riiight!

Nobull: There is a gate to access Peete Alberts Koppie. It is locked and you need to drive about 5 miles west on C-40 to downtown Kamanjab to obtain the key from Oppi Koppie. There are well marked signs once you open the gate, and a well marked trail from the parking area. Wear your hiking boots- it’s 500 yards + up a fairly steep koppie. Bring your camera/ Smartphone. The stone etchings are ancient and pretty impressive.

Tks Bud. We'll check it out. That kind of thing interests me.