WINDHOEK, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Namibia welcomed the inaugural Edelweiss flight from Zurich to Windhoek's Hosea Kutako International Airport on Monday evening, marking the launch of a direct air link between Switzerland and the southern African country.
The inaugural flight arrived in Windhoek with 285 passengers on board and departed with 261 passengers, marking the first direct commercial flight connection between Zurich and Windhoek.
The new non-stop service, operated by Swiss leisure airline Edelweiss, will initially run twice a week, with plans to increase to three weekly flights from mid-July.
In a statement issued Tuesday, Namibia Airports Company (NAC) Chief Executive Officer Bisey Uirab said the new route would strengthen connectivity between Namibia and Europe while supporting tourism and business travel.
He said that NAC is engaging relevant stakeholders on the development of cargo-handling services at Namibian airports as part of efforts to diversify revenue streams beyond passenger traffic.
According to Uirab, Switzerland is an important source market for Namibia, with about 22,000 two-way passengers recorded between the two countries in 2024. ■