March 2013 Air Namibia in-flight magazine www.flamingo.com.na Your free copy www.airnamibia.com.na Apply for CallMaker Now for ONLY N$249 CallMaker. Your prepaid Including N$100 homephone service Free airtime Offer available while stocks last. • No ITC credit check • No monthly bills • No monthly rental charge • Reliable network • Free phone • Free Airtime • Installation included Visit your nearest Teleshop. Call us Toll Free on 1100 or SMS CallMaker to 060123. FLAMINGO is a complimentary magazine for all Air Namibia passengers and is published for Air Namibia by VENTURE PUBLICATIONS AND DESTINY INVESTMENTS P O Box 21593 • 5 Storch Street Windhoek, Namibia Tel (+264 61) 420 514 Fax (+264 61) 420 511 MaRKETING & SALES Annalien Basson Tel (+264 61) 420 515 e-mail: [email protected] GROUP ManaGING EDITOR Riéth van Schalkwyk, Venture Publications GROUP TEXT EDITOR Amy Schoeman, Venture Publications DESIGN Advantage Y&R LAYOUT Christine van Zyl ACCOUNTS Libra Services ADMINISTRATION Bonn Nortjé, Venture Publications PRINTERS John Meinert Printing, Windhoek AIR NAMIBIA ENQUIRIES Tel (+264 61) 299 6111/333 Fax (+264 61) 299 6146/6168 [email protected] www.airnamibia.com.na The editorial content of Flamingo is contributed 54 by freelance writers and journalists. It is the sole responsibility of the publisher and does not necessarily express opinions held by Air Namibia. No part of the magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Copyright: Venture Publications always 9 Air NAmibiA MD's Message welcome on board Cover 10 Air NAmibiA photograph 12 Air NAmibiA schedule Paul van Schalkwyk 13 Air NAmibiA Windhoek – Luanda 14 Air NAmibiA call centres 15 Air NAmibiA fleet 16 Air NAmibiA cargo 17 Air NAmibiA your gateway to Africa 20 EvENts for March 27 visitors' Filo-facts 43 Art dimENsioNs 63 booK scENE 64 trAvEllErs' photo gAllEry 67 Food iN Focus Coffee at an old haunt www.paulvans.com "Spreetshoogte" in the rainy season 6 .com.na march 2013 43 64 46 business 18 Air NAmibiA reward$ frequent flyer programme 29 busiNEss rouNd-up Fitch confirms Namibia's investment-grade sovereign credit rating features 25 did you KNow? Unknown islands off africa 32 sErENAdiNg ghosts 36 locAl KNowlEdgE ANd locAl dogs 40 big storiEs About littlE thiNgs Namib sunrise 46 A grEAtEr ZimbAbwE Hwange regains its beat 51 iNFormAtioN is powEr 54 coNFlict ANd costumE for further Herero dress style information .com.na 58 QuitE iNtErEstiNg, or whAt? 32 Flamingo 60 AccommodAtiNg thE 'coNSULTANts' 7 .com.na Why not use Northgate Technologies’ cutting edge platform to communicate with your clients? We’re the leading developer of reliable and cost-effective SMS-driven business solutions in Namibia. Contact us to fi nd out how we can create a customised mobile communication solution for your organisation. SMS ‘INSIGHT1’ to 50505 or contact us at Tel: +264 61 258 394/5 NorthgateTechnologies Email: [email protected] Web: www.northgate.com.na Inspired by Tomorrow’s Possibilities NG_Flamingo Generic Advert.indd 13 05/11/2012 09:26 MD’s Message WELCOME ON BOARD It is once again my pleasure to welcome you on board an Air Namibia aircraft. Our pledge to you, whether you are a frequent flyer or an occasional passenger, remains to ensure that your journey with us starts and ends a great and memorable experience. The month of March signifies bravery, determination, hard work and the unwavering spirit of the Namibian people, as it was on 21 March 1990 that Namibia became independent. This famous day on our annual calendar brought not only freedom and fresh hopes to our beloved nation, but also a culture of patriotism and the belief that, through hard work, perseverance and commitment, our future successes will be beyond measure. This is what gives us at Air Namibia the hope and resolution required to face our challenges and strive towards a brighter day. Although seemingly bleak, the future of the airline industry is not all despair. Air Namibia’s goal is to continue to make a mark on the Namibian socioeconomic landscape. Now at 23 years young, the unbroken peace and stability and the values and principles of brotherhood and sisterhood that bind us together as a Namibian nation have provided the means for every hard-working citizen to achieve individual as well as collective goals. We will ceaselessly Our sovereignty as a nation cannot be overemphasised. It has created an environment that is conducive to the airline thriving and flourishing. Air Namibia ultimately and most strive to improve significantly aims to provide a better service to you our customers. We pay tribute to the Government of the Republic of Namibia, the sole shareholder of our airline company, for passenger providing the support that ensures prosperity and a return on investment to our country and her people. satisfaction in all One of the most critical resources for any business to succeed is human capital. No organisation or business can service and prosper without collaborative input from its areas employees. For the past 23 years, our crews have served the airline with pride and honour. Their unwavering dedication to attend to customers hailing from all corners of the world Ms Theo Namases is commendable. It is through their efforts that we have built strong relationships with Managing Director our loyal passengers who share the same vision, objectives and ultimate goals for a better Air Namibia. We will ceaselessly strive to improve passenger satisfaction in all areas and to retain our customers as part of the bigger Air Namibia family. While management receives complaints from time to time, our in-flight magazine enables positive interaction with passengers and relays this to us. When you like the new aircraft, you tell Flamingo. When you appreciate the announcements of the captain, you send an email. When you are excited and inspired by your Namibian holiday, you send your photographs to the Travellers’ Photo Gallery. We treasure passenger comments such as: “When I board an Air Namibia aircraft in Cape Town, I Why not use Northgate Technologies’ cutting edge already feel I’m in Namibia because of the friendly, familiar faces of the cabin crew,” or “When you platform to communicate with your clients? We’re look up to the cockpit window you are bound to recognise the face of the pilot,” or “I am amazed that Air Namibia serves such tasty food,” or “A 100% safety record for such a small airline – from the leading developer of reliable and cost-effective apron to apron, a professional service.” SMS-driven business solutions in Namibia. Thank you for letting us know what you appreciate and like about us and Contact us to fi nd out how we can create a customised thank you for choosing to fly with Air Namibia. Let me assure you on behalf mobile communication solution for your organisation. of the company that we will do our best to make your flight as pleasant as possible. Keep in mind that to secure a booking on one of our flights you can book online at www.airnamibia.com.na, or through your Travel Agent. SMS ‘INSIGHT1’ to 50505 or contact us at Tel: +264 61 258 394/5 NorthgateTechnologies Email: [email protected] Web: www.northgate.com.na Inspired by Tomorrow’s Possibilities 9 .Com.Na NG_Flamingo Generic Advert.indd 13 05/11/2012 09:26 Welcome on Board Thank you for choosing to fly Air Namibia. We promise to do everything we can to ensure you have an enjoyable flight. If you have any queries or need assistance, please feel free to ask any of our cabin crew. CABIN ASSISTANTS On flights operated using the Airbus A340- 300 and A319-100; the Boeing B737-500 aircraft and Embraer ERJ135, Passengers are catered for by highly trained cabin crew. If you require anything to make your flight more comfortable, do not hesitate to ask you are seated in Economy Class, your table Make your journey even them for assistance. On flights operated by folds out of the back of the seat in front of more rewarding the Embraer ERJ135 - the flight is single class you, while your table is set in the armrest of by joining Reward$ and has one cabin crew present to assist your seat if you are in Business Class. - Our frequent flyer programme - with your needs. • Accrue free miles when you fly AIRBUS A340-300 Embraer ERJ135 • Use miles on any of our routes. On the Airbus A340-300 aircraft, each The Embraer ERJ135 aircraft seats 37 • Purchase tickets, swap-miles, seat has a mini-console on the side of one passengers comfortably at 31 inches pitch. share-miles, pay for excess armrest. The mini-console has a switch for The flight is made smoother by the Embraers ability to fly above the weather. Services baggage; or to gain access to your reading light, a button for calling a onboard include: meals and beverages, business class lounges across cabin attendant, a selector for choosing a a wardrobe, galleys, a washroom and airports we operate from. radio or film channel, and a volume-control knob. Your earphones plug into a special overhead bins for baggage. The additional ENROL NOW socket on the mini-console space can be used to stretch, while relaxing onboard the very swift ERJ135. online at www.airnamibia.com.na , navigate to our Reward$ section. Economy Class passengers will find a foldout table mounted in the back of the seat in Click, Click, and fly Away. Reward$ SPECIAL MEALS front of them. In Business Class, tables are On our flights, Outstanding set in the armrest of the seats.