AB targets 6.5 % passenger growth rate

Keikantse Lesemela | Friday August 29, 2014 16:32

 

Briefing the media this week, AB general manager, Ben Dahwa said the company has been posting losses for the past years but support from the government will help its turnaround.

From 2009 annual passenger growth rate was above five percent but it has declined to 0.5 percent in 2012.

Dahwa said currently they are expecting growth of at least one percent this year but they aim to increase it to 6,5 percent year on year.

“We have been recording losses in the past years but we have been having strong support from the government. While we acknowledge the challenges, we have ready and skilled personnel to take the company to the next level. I am here to work with the team that is committed to work,” said Dahwa.

Government has allocated P330 mil- lion to the national airliner in this financial year.

Dahwa said AB has new strategies to introduce new routes as part of the development mandate to enhance profit- ability.

Apart from domestic routes, Air Botswana currently flies to Johannesburg, Cape Town, Harare and Lusaka.

“The strategy is not yet endorsed by the shareholder but we want to increase our airline routes within SADC. We also want to access other markets such as East Africa, West Africa and North Africa and others where we have bilateral agreements,” he said.

Dahwa said as part of business diversification they have an arrangement with foreign operators, which transport cargo between Gaborone and Johannesburg.

Air Botswana has been reinstated to the International Airline Transport Association (IATA) after resigning from the association in 2007. He said the air- liner is in a good state as it is in compliance with IATA.