Emirates, Etihad lands in Gabz

The two jets bound for OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, made a rare appearance in Gaborone and were later seen refuelling there before taking off later in the night. Speculation has it that the two airlines from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were probably on a mission to test the capacity of the new Chinese-built SSKIA in preparation for the introduction of direct flights to Europe for diamond companies in Botswana.

In October 2010, Botswana and the UAE concluded a memorandum of agreement that paved the way for Emirates, Etihad Airways, Air Arabia, RAK Airways and Fly Dubai flights into Botswana.