STAFF WRITER
The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) has challenged Works and Transport Minister Veikko Nekundi to publish a comprehensive report detailing the downgrading of Walvis Bay International Airport to uncontrolled airspace – also known as Class G in aviation terms.
An international airspace being downgraded to Class G airspace removes mandatory Air Traffic Control (ATC) separation services, placing the burden of traffic and terrain avoidance entirely on the flight crews.
Such a downgrade will result in Commercial Airline Restrictions. In the aviation industry major international airlines often have strict internal safety policies or insurance mandates that prohibit them from flying scheduled passenger jets into Class G terminal zones. A downgrade can cause airlines to divert or suspend routes entirely
The reclassification also puts Walvis Bay international Airport at the risk of losing ATC Separation which will force commercial flight crews to rely strictly on a “see and avoid” principle and self-sequence their departures and arrivals via radio.
In a statement released on Wednesday IPC shadow minister of Works and Transport Nelson Kalangula asked Nekundi to publish a detailed public accountability Report with full transparency regarding the exact operational and staffing deficiencies that led to the Class G downgrade .
“We call upon the minister of works to execute emergency resource Deployment – mobilize qualified ATC personnel and technical support to restore controlled airspace (Class C/D) status at Walvis Bay International Airport without delay,”Klangula said.
The IPC also want Nekundi to guarantee uninterrupted aviation meteorological Services at the airport and ensure that the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority and national weather services maintain continuous, real-time weather monitoring and timely TAF transmissions to prevent further flight diversions.
“Brief Parliament on Air Navigation Readiness – Present a comprehensive recovery plan to the National Assembly detailing measures to prevent recurring airspace downgrades across all national airports. Namibia’s aviation infrastructure is a cornerstone of our national economy, international trade, and tourism. We cannot allow operational negligence to undermine our airspace safety or regional economic standing,” Kalngula said.
The IPC argued that the sudden downgrade represents a major operational setback for Namibia’s aviation sector and threatens the reliability of our secondary international gateway.
“ While visual operations during clear weather remain possible, forcing an international airport into uncontrolled airspace severely degrades safety margins and operational capability, particularly when adverse coastal fog and poor visibility set in,” Kalangula said.
They said the incident follows a sequence of operational breakdowns, including recent delays in the issuance of critical Terminal Aerodrome Forecasts (TAF) that directly resulted in commercial aircraft being forced to divert from Walvis Bay to Hosea Kutako International Airport.
“This failure highlights underlying structural issues within the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Air Navigation Services, whether stemming from critical staffing shortages of certified Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCOs), qualified competent Meteorological Officers or failing technical infrastructure,” Kalangula said.
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