Air Botswana partners with Qatar Airways

Oageng Batenegi | Thursday October 20, 2016 15:21

 

Addressing journalists yesterday in Gaborone, Masire said in the partnership Air Botswana will be the operating carrier while Qatar Airways handles the marketing aspect of the deal. “We are indeed delighted, honoured and privileged to partner with Qatar Airways,” said Masire.

“We are looking forward at Batswana using this airline,” he added. According to Masire, the deal will allow Air Botswana as a small airline to be alongside Qatar Airways’ systematic operations in their more than 150 worldwide destinations. “This will allow us to keep with their standards,” said Masire.  Answering questions from journalists after the announcement, Masire said it made economic sense to partner with Qatar Airways for convenient accessibility to the latter’s well-developed airline infrastructure.

Air Botswana’s acting general manager, Agnes Khunwana said the partnership is a very significant milestone in the history of airline business in the country. “It has been a long journey (of negotiations) and we will have to keep up with their growth strategy,” said Khunwana who disclosed that the deal was sealed after a period of six months of negotiations.

Khunwana added that through a partnership with a big airline such as Qatar Airways, they are guaranteed of intense efforts of safety. There will also be growth in passenger numbers, she added. “We do not have any doubts that this is a big business deal,” Khunwana said.

Air Botswana director commercial, Hugh Fraser told journalists that it is the first time a big airline like as Qatar Airways partners with a smaller one such as Air Botswana. “This is a huge gesture of confidence in Air Botswana,” said Fraser.

Meanwhile the panel from Air Botswana who were very reluctant to disclose any figures related to the new deal, said the partnership will also offer Qatar Airways travellers enhanced access to this country’s key destinations such as Gaborone, Maun and Francistown via Qatar Airways gateway in Johannesburg. Qatar Airline operates double-daily flights from its “state-of-the-art” hub, Hamad International Airport in Doha, with onward flights to more than 150 destinations worldwide, it was said.

The agreement, said officials, will allow Qatar Airways’ business and leisure travellers fast and convenient access to this country’s rich mineral industry, abundant game reserves, and luxury safari lodges. Botswana’s luxurious tourism experiences are complemented by Qatar Airways’ passengers with easy and direct access to a number of key business and high-end leisure destinations across Botswana while providing easy access to Qatar Airways’ global network for the people of Gaborone, Francistown and Maun when booking directly with Qatar Airways, it was said.