Air Namibia (Windhoek International) was forced to divert its longhaul operations to Gaborone, Botswana on July 24 after the Namibian Directorate of Civil Aviation (DCA) last week downgraded Windhoek International from a Category 9 Airport Rescue and Fire-Fighting (ARFF) rating to a Category 5.
"Consequently, Air Namibia’s Airbus A330-200 aircraft used on the long haul flights to Frankfurt International which require a Category 8 airport for landing and take-off, will not be authorized to operate into and out of Windhoek’s Hosea Kutako International Airport with immediate effect," the carrier said.
Following a site audit conducted by the DCA on Monday last week, numerous deficiencies in the airport's firefighting capabilities were found - core among them an unserviceable fire truck. The airport's operator, the Namibian Airports Company (NAC), has been given 15 days to rectify the situation.
According to The Namibian newspaper, the NAC has already acquired 11 firetrucks of which the first will be commissioned on August 1.
This is the DCA's latest high-profile move against operators it has assessed as deficient. Last month, the regulator threatened to revoke Air Namibia's Air Operators Certificate on the grounds that the airline had not maintained key aspects of its operations in line with international standards.
Air Namibia has since been able to resume operating its long-haul flights to Frankfurt from Windhoek as of the evening of July 24.
