AS a Belgian businessman and tourist I am flying Air Namibia business class at least twice a year between Windhoek and Frankfurt.
It is with regret that I see and experience what once was a jewel of trying harder amongst the airlines is now becoming another Third World cheap and unreliable carrier with a Namibian flag on it. On my recent flight on 20th August to Frankfurt I experienced again how poorly trained and uninterested the cabin crew is.Things no serious airline would do were done by Air Namibia on this flight – storing food in the toilet during take-off, not assisting passengers on request, chatting all time instead of working.I was trying to get some water, which turned out to be mission impossible.It got even worse during the flight.I was taking a picture of my son – the flight attendants came collectively to me to threaten that this is forbidden (it’s not!) and they were afraid they would be on the photograph – through which you could see them standing around doing nothing.At last they told me that the German police would await me upon arrival to arrest me…of course there was no policeman in Frankfurt at all, but I use this to illustrate the thinking of flight attendants who believe they are protected by politicians and do not understand their job.Besides the personnel, airplanes are in a poor state; in-flight entertainment system not working, toilets out of order, chairs and tables dirty and not functioning, poor food …all signs of an airline in trouble.Air Namibia seems to be filling up its planes by passengers in search of the cheapest airline (not quality) and hence accepting the poor state the airline is in in lieu of a very cheap ticket.I thought Namibia wanted to position itself as a unique tourism destination? What Air Namibia needs is a proper modern management which excludes political interference in appointing cabin crew.I complained to Air Namibia but did not get a reply; not a surprise for third-world airlines! Toon Overstijns Via e-mailOn my recent flight on 20th August to Frankfurt I experienced again how poorly trained and uninterested the cabin crew is.Things no serious airline would do were done by Air Namibia on this flight – storing food in the toilet during take-off, not assisting passengers on request, chatting all time instead of working.I was trying to get some water, which turned out to be mission impossible.It got even worse during the flight.I was taking a picture of my son – the flight attendants came collectively to me to threaten that this is forbidden (it’s not!) and they were afraid they would be on the photograph – through which you could see them standing around doing nothing.At last they told me that the German police would await me upon arrival to arrest me…of course there was no policeman in Frankfurt at all, but I use this to illustrate the thinking of flight attendants who believe they are protected by politicians and do not understand their job.Besides the personnel, airplanes are in a poor state; in-flight entertainment system not working, toilets out of order, chairs and tables dirty and not functioning, poor food …all signs of an airline in trouble.Air Namibia seems to be filling up its planes by passengers in search of the cheapest airline (not quality) and hence accepting the poor state the airline is in in lieu of a very cheap ticket.I thought Namibia wanted to position itself as a unique tourism destination? What Air Namibia needs is a proper modern management which excludes political interference in appointing cabin crew.I complained to Air Namibia but did not get a reply; not a surprise for third-world airlines! Toon Overstijns Via e-mail
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