Boeing replacement hitch delays flights

THE deployment of a new aircraft to replace its Boeing 747-400 Combi did not go without hitches for Air Namibia on Tuesday night.

A noise restriction curfew in Zurich, Switzerland, meant that the McDonnell Douglas aircraft the national carrier is leasing from SwissAir could not leave the country for Frankfurt, Germany, in time for its scheduled departure to Windhoek. The flight was originally scheduled to depart Frankfurt at 21h45 local time.It eventually left for Namibia at 11h30 yesterday and was scheduled to arrive at Hosea Kutako International Airport at around 20h30.Tuesday’s delay caused a ripple effect which spilled over into an expected minimum delay of two hours in the departure of last night’s northbound flight.The schedule should return to normal tonight, when the flight is scheduled to leave Germany at 21h45.The national carrier yesterday apologised for the delays, but said it would not comprise passenger safety for the sake of strictly keeping to its schedule.The MD 11 was undergoing a maintenance check in Zurich on Tuesday but could not depart for Germany before the curfew.Both Germany and Switzerland have set noise limits which ban flights from flying over southern Germany to approach Swiss airports during the night, while aircraft may not depart from Swiss airports later than 21h00 because of disturbances to densely populated residential areas in their vicinity.The Welwitschia flew its last commercial flight on Tuesday morning to Germany, after being sold in July for VIP use by an Arabian royal family.The flight was originally scheduled to depart Frankfurt at 21h45 local time.It eventually left for Namibia at 11h30 yesterday and was scheduled to arrive at Hosea Kutako International Airport at around 20h30.Tuesday’s delay caused a ripple effect which spilled over into an expected minimum delay of two hours in the departure of last night’s northbound flight.The schedule should return to normal tonight, when the flight is scheduled to leave Germany at 21h45.The national carrier yesterday apologised for the delays, but said it would not comprise passenger safety for the sake of strictly keeping to its schedule.The MD 11 was undergoing a maintenance check in Zurich on Tuesday but could not depart for Germany before the curfew.Both Germany and Switzerland have set noise limits which ban flights from flying over southern Germany to approach Swiss airports during the night, while aircraft may not depart from Swiss airports later than 21h00 because of disturbances to densely populated residential areas in their vicinity.The Welwitschia flew its last commercial flight on Tuesday morning to Germany, after being sold in July for VIP use by an Arabian royal family.