Editing Air Namibia (section)

== History ==
=== Early years ===
[[File:Air_Namibia_Boeing_747SP_ZS-SPB_FRA_1996-10-3.png|thumb|An Air Namibia [[Boeing 747SP]] at [[Frankfurt Airport]] in 1996.]]
The origins of the airline trace back to {{start date|1946|11}}, when ''South West Air Transport (SWAT)'' was established. Using [[Ryan Navion]] aircraft, this carrier started operations in 1949 linking Windhoek with [[Grootfontein]].{{#tag:ref|Also reported to having started operations in 1948.<ref name="FI2004" />|group="nb"}} Charter and cargo flights were also undertaken. In 1950, the company started feeder services for [[South African Airways]]. By 1958, a fleet of seven Ryan Navions and one [[de Havilland Dragon Rapide]] served a route network that included Grootfontein, [[Tsumeb]], [[Otjiwarongo]], [[Outjo]], [[Swakopmund]], [[Walvis Bay]] and Windhoek.{{sfnp|Guttery|1998|p=136}} On 26 March 1959,<ref name="FI1985" /> SWAT merged with ''Oryx Aviation'' — a small passenger airline established three years earlier{{sfnp|Guttery|1998|p=135}}— to form ''South West Airways'' ({{langx|af|Suidwes Lugdiens}}).<ref name="FI1981" /><ref name="Air Malawi General Manager" /> [[IATA]] membership was gained later that year.<ref name="Flight1959-95" />

Two [[Cessna 205]]s were purchased, entering the fleet in {{start date|1962|12}} and eventually replacing the Navions.{{sfnp|Guttery|1998|p=136}} ''Namibair'', set up as a charter airline in 1963, became a subsidiary company of Suidwes Lugdiens in 1966.<ref name="FI1972-43" /> In 1969, [[Safmarine]] acquired a 50% stake in Suidwes,<ref name="FI1972-43" /> eventually boosting its participation to 85%.<ref name="FI1975-268" /> At {{start date|1970|2}}, the Suidwes fleet comprised four [[Piper PA-23|Piper Aztecs]], one [[de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver]], two [[Piper PA-28 Cherokee]]s, one [[Cessna 182]], one Cessna 205, one [[Cessna 206]], one [[Cessna 402]], three [[Douglas DC-3]]s and five [[Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche]]s; at this time the carrier had 45 employees.<ref name="FI1970-212" /> A [[Fairchild-Hiller FH-227]] was acquired in 1974, and a [[Convair 580]] was later incorporated into the fleet to perform charter flights carrying miners to their jobs in Grootfontein and Tsumeb.{{sfnp|Guttery|1998|p=136}}

Suidwes merged into '''Namib Air''' on 1 December 1978.<ref name="FI2004" />{{sfnp|Guttery|1998|p=136}} The [[South West Africa]]n government became the major shareholder in 1982.<ref name="SW History">{{cite web|title=About us – History &#124; Air Namibia |url=http://www.airnamibia.com.na/node/7 |publisher=Air Namibia |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120718154357/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.airnamibia.com.na%2Fnode%2F7 |archive-date=18 July 2012 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> Following the creation of the ''South West Africa National Transport Corporation'' in 1986, Namib Air took over all air transport operations in the country.<ref name="FI1989">{{cite journal|title=World Airline Directory – Namib Air |journal=[[Flight International]] |date=1 April 1989 |page=106 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1989/1989%20-%200916.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104185922/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1989/1989%20-%200916.html |archive-date=4 November 2012 |access-date=5 July 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref> The airline was designated as the country's [[flag carrier]] in 1987.<ref name="FI2004" /><ref name="FI1989" /> That year, two 19-seater [[Beech 1900]]s were bought. In 1988, the company was incorporated into the Namibian state-owned holding company [[Transnamib]].{{sfnp|Guttery|1998|p=135}} On 6 August 1989, a [[Boeing 737|Boeing 737-200]] [[lease]]d from [[South African Airways]] that flew the Windhoek–[[Johannesburg]] route inaugurated the carrier's [[Jet aircraft|jet]] era.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Namib Air plans US flights |journal=[[Flight International]] |date=2 September 1989 |page=11 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1989/1989%20-%202673.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105170303/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1989/1989%20-%202673.html |archive-date=5 November 2012 |access-date=5 July 2012 |quote=SAA recently leased a Boeing 737 to Namib Air for its first jet flights between Windhoek, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref name="FI1990">{{cite journal|title=World Airline Directory – Namib Air |journal=[[Flight International]] |page=113 |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1990/1990%20-%200765.html |date=14–20 March 1990 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104154453/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1990/1990%20-%200765.html |archive-date=4 November 2012 |access-date=5 July 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref> In {{MONTHNAME|10}} the same year, a third Beech 1900 was incorporated into the fleet.{{sfnp|Guttery|1998|p=135}}

[[File:Air_Namibia_MD-11_V5-NMD_ZRH_2005-6-29.png|thumb|An Air Namibia [[McDonnell Douglas MD-11]] at [[Zurich Airport]] in 2005.]]
Services to [[Lusaka]] and [[Luanda]] were launched in 1990 and 1991, respectively.{{sfnp|Guttery|1998|p=135}} Following the independence of the country, the company was re-christened again, adopting the current name of ''Air Namibia'' in {{start date|1991|10}}.<ref name="FI2004" /> The early 1990s also saw the launch of long-haul services to Europe: the Windhoek–[[Frankfurt]] route started being flown in 1991 twice a week using a [[Boeing 747SP]], and London was included into the route network in 1992,<ref name="SW History" /> with a non-stop flight.{{sfnp|Guttery|1998|p=134}} In 1993, services to Frankfurt, which were served twice-weekly, were also extended to London.{{sfnp|Guttery|1998|p=134}} Air Namibia was re-absorbed into the Namibian government after an injection of {{US$|3700000|link=yes|1998}} in 1998, following the precarious cash position it was led into by TransNamib.<ref>{{cite news|title=Government saves Air Namibia |author=Hilka Birns |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/1998/12/09/45828/government-saves-air-namibia.html |agency=[[Flight International]] |location=Cape Town |work=[[Flightglobal.com]] |date=9 December 1998 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407102401/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/government-saves-air-namibia-45828/ |archive-date=7 April 2015 |access-date=1 May 2012 |url-status=live  }}</ref> [[LTU International|LTU]], Germany's second largest airline at the time, entered into a ''codeshare agreement'' with Air Namibia in February 1998.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://allafrica.com/stories/199804170126.html| title = Reference at allafrica.com}}</ref> Air Namibia acquired a new [[Boeing 747-400|Boeing 747-400 Combi]] in {{start date|1999|4}} with financial aid from the [[U.S. Export Import Bank]].<ref name="Air Namibia Acquires Boeing 747-400 Combi" /> Named ''[[Welwitschia]]'', the aircraft was handed over by the manufacturer in {{MONTHNAME|10}} that year.<ref name="Air Namibia Takes Delivery of Its First Boeing 747-400 Combi" /> The new machine came to replace the carrier's Boeing 747SP,<ref name="Namibia boosts cargo with 747 Combi" /> and was retired in 2004.<ref name="Namibia: National Airline Enters New Era" /> That year, the carrier started flying the [[McDonnell Douglas MD-11]].<ref name="FI2004-69" />

=== Developments since the 2000s ===
[[File:Air Namibia A340-300 V5-NME FRA 2013-07-14.png|thumb|An Air Namibia Airbus A340-300 at Frankfurt Airport in 2013.]]
By {{start date|2000|4}}, the airline's employees numbered 418. At this time, Air Namibia operated a [[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-100]], two [[Boeing 737|Boeing 737-200 Advanced]], one Boeing 747-400 Combi and three [[Beechcraft 1900|Raytheon Beech 1900Cs]] that served [[Cape Town]], Frankfurt, Johannesburg, London, [[Luanda]], [[Luderitz]], [[Lusaka]], [[Maun, Botswana|Maun]], [[Mokuti Lodge]], [[Mpacha]], [[Ondangwa]], [[Oranjemund]], Swakopmund, [[Victoria Falls Airport|Victoria Falls]], Walvis Bay and Windhoek.<ref name="FI2000-63" /> That year, the airline joined the African Airlines Association.<ref>{{cite web|title= AFRAA Current members – Air Namibia|url= http://www.afraa.org/index.php/membership/current-members/item/58|publisher= [[African Airlines Association|AFRAA]]|access-date= 15 July 2011|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121216042038/http://www.afraa.org/index.php/membership/current-members/item/58|archive-date= 16 December 2012|url-status= dead|df= dmy-all}}</ref>

The first of three [[Embraer ERJ 135]]s the airline [[Aircraft leasing|lease]]d from [[Régional]], intended to replace the Beechcraft 1900 fleet,<ref name="Aircraft News" /> was received in {{start date|2011|2}};<ref name="Air Namibia exploite son premier Embraer ERJ-135" /> likewise, the first of two leased [[Airbus A319|Airbus A319-100]]s entered the fleet in {{MONTHNAME|10}} the same year.<ref name="Namibia: National Airline Enters New Era" /> Intended as a replacement for the [[Boeing 737]] fleet,<ref name="Namibia: National Airline Enters New Era" /> the company ordered another two Airbus A319s in {{start date|2012|2}}, in a deal worth {{US$|90}}&nbsp;million;<ref name="Air Namibia commande deux Airbus A319" /><ref name="Air Namibia places order for two A319s" /> in {{MONTHNAME|7}} the same year, the carrier signed an agreement for the lease of two [[Airbus A330|Airbus A330-200s]], aimed at replacing the [[Airbus A340|Airbus A340-300s]].<ref name="Air Namibia signs lease agreement for two new Airbus A330-200 aircraft" /> Of the last two A319s ordered, the first one was incorporated into the fleet in early {{start date|2013|1}}.<ref name="Namibia: New Air Namibia Plane Arrives" /> In {{start date|2013|9}},<ref name="Air Namibia takes delivery of first A330-200" /> Air Namibia took delivery of its first Airbus A330-200.<ref name="A330-200s to cut costs" /><ref name="AirNam new planes unprofitable, but will cut down costs" />

In {{start date|2017|4}}, the airline was granted permission to fly to the United States by the US Department of Transportation. In March the airline completed a re-certification application by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (an audit process which was initiated in 2013), enabling the airline to fly to any EU member state.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newera.com.na/2017/05/22/air-namibia-granted-right-to-fly-into-us/|title=Air Namibia granted right to fly into US|last=Reporter|first=New Era Staff|date=22 May 2017|website=New Era Newspaper Namibia}}</ref>

===Decline and shutdown===
Air Namibia had been making losses since [[Independence of Namibia|Namibian independence]]. In 2020, its assets stood at below 1 billion [[Namibia Dollar|N$]], while its liabilities amounted to 3 billion N$. Around 11 billion N$ had been provided by [[Government of Namibia|government]] over the previous 20 years. The airline was essentially "on death row".<ref>{{Cite news | last1=Ngatjiheue | first1=Charmaine | last2=Shihepo | first2=Timo | last3=Immanuel | first3=Shinovene | title=THE END – Air Namibia shutdown to cost billions | url=https://namibian.com.na/air-namibia-air-service-licence-suspended/ | date=12 February 2021 | newspaper=[[The Namibian]]|language=en-ZA}}</ref>

On 8 July 2020 the Transportation Commission of Namibia suspended the carrier's Scheduled Air Services Licence, citing financial and safety concerns.<ref>{{Cite news | last=Shikongo | first=Arlana | title=Air Namibia air service licence suspended | url=https://namibian.com.na/air-namibia-air-service-licence-suspended/ | date=8 July 2020 | newspaper=[[The Namibian]]|language=en-ZA}}</ref> In October 2020 the airline was given notice by Belgian lawyer Anicet Baum, of the company Challengair, claiming that Air Namibia was insolvent and unable to repay its debts to Challengeair (an amount of 18,s million Euro), which was settled to be repaid in instalments until September 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2020-10-07|title=Air Namibia to resist liquidation|url=https://www.namibian.com.na/205238/archive-read/Air-Namibia-to-resist-liquidation|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-15|website=The Namibian}}</ref>

On 11 February 2021, the Namibian government announced the immediate shutdown and liquidation of Air Namibia due to overwhelming debt and years of financial dependence from the state.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Air Namibia ceases operations, gov't to announce liquidation|url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/100474-air-namibia-ceases-operations-govt-to-announce-liquidation|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-15|website=ch-aviation}}</ref><ref name="aerotelegraph.com">
{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2021-02-11|title=Air Namibia ist am Ende|trans-title=Air Namibia is finished|url=https://www.aerotelegraph.com/air-namibia-ist-am-ende|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-15|website=aeroTELEGRAPH|language=de-CH}}</ref> At the time of closure, the airline operated nine aircraft and employed approximately  600 staff.<ref name="aerotelegraph.com"/>

In late October 2021, a South African aviation company offered 3.2 billion Namibian dollars to purchase the airline.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.namibian.com.na/106950/read/SA-airline-offers-N$32-billion-for-Air-Namibia-%E2%80%A6-FlyWestair-rebrands-to-FlyNamibia |title=SA airline offers N$3,2 billion for Air Namibia … FlyWestair rebrands to FlyNamibia |publisher=thenamibian.co.na |date=3 November 2021 |accessdate=12 November 2021}}</ref>