air botswana
feature
Taking t o
t h e
Air Botswana’s turnaround strategy is in full effect as the airline finds its place in an increasingly competitive market.
By Ian Armitage
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Air Botswana focus TRAVEL
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ir travel in Africa is an everattractive investment. In Botswana the market is expanding all the time and becoming increasingly competitive, with the country embracing an open sky policy. Within this new, exciting context, national carrier Air Botswana is finding its place. The airline’s monopoly over domestically and regionally services is diminishing. But it isn’t about to quit. “Air Botswana currently employs about 400 people,” says Thabiso Leshoai, Air Botswana’s PR Manager. “The Airline has plans to purchase new aircraft and to add more routes to its network. “The turnaround strategy currently in place is showing positive results and so Air Botswana finds itself on good footing to move forward and enhance its operations. “The current plan is to increase operational capacity and so Air Botswana is planning to increase its fleet in the next few months while adding more domestic, regional and international routes. “The main focus in terms of development for the airline is to enhance management capacity. This is being addressed through relevant and up-to-date training. The aim is for Air Botswana to be successful and for that success to be sustained and maintained for years to come.” Leshoai confirmed to that Air Botswana recently invested in bigger aircraft, purchasing two AVRO RJ 85 aircraft. The AVRO RJ 85 aircraft is equipped with a bigger engine and has a carrying capacity of 93 passengers. “Before purchase, an extensive and exhaustive exercise was undertaken to identify the best maintained aircraft,” says Leshoai. “This is an interesting time for us with the turnaround, which has a number of phases, from getting compliance and staffing qualification levels sorted out to investing in machinery and other such improvements.”
Air Botswana has in recent times posted financial losses, which in part is due to overstaffing, the operation of an ageing, fuel inefficient fleet, increasing operational costs, inadequate management expertise and an inability to retain and attract qualified pilots. “Times are changing. We are ambitious. We are proactive,” says Leshoai, adding, “few airlines in the world can have been established so quickly and contributed so centrally to the development of their home countries as has Air Botswana.” The airline launched in 1988. “Construction of a new terminal and major runway development is going ahead steadily at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, and terminal building and runway project are also taking place in Francistown, Maun and Kasane, so that these important centres can receive larger aircraft and handle more passengers.” Air Botswana continues to play a pivotal role in the phenomenal growth Botswana has enjoyed and has built a reputation for quality air services that is quite disproportionate to its modest size.
The Okavango delta is seen from the air outside Jao Luxury Safari Camp
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Air Botswana focus TRAVEL
ST LOUIS LAGER LAUNCHES NEW QUALITY CAMPAIGN St Louis Lager, Botswana’s first home grown beer launched its ‘Men Who Love the Best Drink The Best’ campaign, to celebrate its recent Monde Selection Silver Award for Taste and Quality. The campaign, which broke on June 8th 2012 on various mediums of communication was also launched online, the first for any local brand, in a specially designed facebook page.
© Simisa
“Botswana is an African jewel. We have been part of it all, contributing fully to the growth of the economy.” Air Botswana is based at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gaborone. Its domestic route network links the capital with Francistown, Botswana’s second city, and with Maun, on the edge of the great Okavango Delta, and Kasane, gateway to Chobe River and National Park on the northern border with Namibia. Regional destinations are Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lusaka and Harare, while Air Botswana also operates between Gaborone and Nairobi through joint services with Kenya Airways. Its timetable is closely attentive to the needs of 4
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the business and leisure traveler, and is also designed in full support of the important and growing tourism industry. Botswana is an outstanding destination, with unique natural attractions that draw visitors from all over the world. “Tourism is the country’s second largest revenue earner after mining,” says Leshoai who explains that many travelers come from all over the world to “experience Botswana’s unique tourism offering”. Air Botswana is focused on creating a wider reach and gaining more brand exposure. You can book your tickets online at www.airbotswana.co.bw END
Explaining the new campaign to the media, Marketing Manager for Alcoholic Beverages at KBL, Thabiso Botlhole, highlighted that the campaign recognises the quality demands that the St Louis Lager consumer places on the beer and was proud that the beer consistently meets and exceeds those demands. He explained that the campaign will be twofold: “First, execution of ‘I only ask for one thing. The Best’ appreciates the uncompromising quality seeking nature of the St Louis Lager consumer,” she said. “This he said applies in all that they do, be it fashion, entertainment, sports, business or leisure activities. The expectation is always the same, that they will receive the best. The second execution pays homage to men who put their best foot forward when expected to deliver on any task; a trait that symbolizes the level of dedication that goes into delivering the refreshing taste of St Louis Lager. The second execution will be rolled out at a later stage.”
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