Air Botswana Fleet Crisis Deepens as Two ERJ-145s Remain Grounded in Namibia

By Garth Calitz

Air Botswana, Botswana’s national flag carrier, is facing a growing operational challenge as two of its Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets remain grounded in Namibia, despite earlier expectations that they would return to service by July 2026. Their continued absence has contributed to schedule reductions and the cancellation of routes including Gaborone–Windhoek and Maun–Windhoek.

The situation highlights a familiar problem in African regional aviation: owning or leasing aircraft is only part of the equation. Keeping them flying requires substantial and continuous investment in engines, maintenance, components, crews, insurance and regulatory compliance.

According to Transport and Infrastructure Minister Noah Salakae, the two ERJ-145s require repairs to their engines and auxiliary power units (APUs) before they can return to service. Financial constraints have contributed to the delays, leaving Air Botswana operating with limited fleet availability. The minister described the airline as experiencing “irregular operations” while addressing Parliament.

Air Botswana is nominally associated with a six-aircraft fleet comprising two ATR 72-600s, an Embraer E170, an E175 and two ERJ-145s. However, the number of aircraft on an airline's fleet list can differ considerably from those actually available for scheduled operations. The airline currently operates two ATR 72-600s and an E170.

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The current difficulties are particularly significant because they follow several years of fleet modernisation. Air Botswana invested heavily in newer aircraft, including the ATR 72-600 and Embraer E-Jet family, in an effort to replace older equipment and strengthen its domestic and regional network. Two ATR 72-600s were ordered in 2018 as part of this renewal programme.

The ATR 72-600 is well suited to Air Botswana's market, offering relatively low operating costs while retaining the ability to serve shorter regional sectors linking Gaborone with destinations such as Maun, Kasane and Francistown. However, fleet renewal cannot by itself resolve the underlying economics of a small airline.

The two ERJ-145s in Namibia have become the most visible example of the problem. Earlier in 2026, the government indicated that a structured process was under way to return them to Botswana. Parliament was told in March that a five-phase certification process had begun, with the first aircraft expected back in April. That deadline slipped, followed by the July target, leaving both aircraft unavailable.

Returning an aircraft to service involves far more than completing repairs. Inspections, certification, regulatory approval and crew availability must all be addressed, while major engine or APU work can involve significant costs. For an airline operating with limited financial resources, such delays can quickly have a wider impact.

Air Botswana's small fleet leaves little room to absorb these disruptions. When one aircraft is unavailable, schedules can be adjusted; when several are grounded simultaneously, entire routes can become difficult or impossible to operate. The suspension of the Windhoek services demonstrates how quickly reduced fleet availability can affect regional connectivity.

The airline's difficulties also come with wider economic implications. Air Botswana has an important role in supporting Botswana's tourism industry, particularly through connections to Maun and Kasane, gateways to attractions such as the Okavango Delta and Chobe region. Reliable air services are an important part of the country's tourism infrastructure, linking international visitors with safari operators, hotels and remote destinations.

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The carrier's present position also needs to be viewed in the context of its long history. Air Botswana was established in 1972, six years after Botswana gained independence, with the task of providing essential domestic and regional air links across a country with a relatively small population and limited transport infrastructure.

The airline has operated a range of aircraft over the decades, with ATR turboprops becoming a particularly important part of its fleet from the 1990s onwards. The subsequent introduction of newer ATR and Embraer aircraft was intended to provide a more efficient platform for the carrier's future.

The challenge now is making that investment financially sustainable. In May, Air Botswana indicated that its existing schedule could be operated with approximately three aircraft and said it was considering leasing some aircraft to generate revenue while reducing the financial burden associated with insurance and maintenance.

This reflects the difficult economics of a small regional carrier. Unlike major airlines, smaller operators cannot spread engineering, training, maintenance and administrative costs across large fleets. A single aircraft out of service can therefore have a disproportionate effect on the entire operation.

Air Botswana has taken steps to improve reliability, including completing a C-check on one of its ATR 72-600s and working on crew requalification and the recovery of the grounded ERJ-145s. The immediate priority is to restore aircraft availability and build enough operational resilience to ensure schedules are based on aircraft and crews that can reliably be deployed.

The issue extends beyond the airline itself, air connectivity is an important component of the country's transport and tourism infrastructure, while links with neighbouring countries support business and passenger movement across the region. For South African travellers, Gaborone remains an important regional connection, making developments at Air Botswana relevant beyond Botswana's borders.

The fleet modernisation programme was intended to give Air Botswana a stronger foundation for the future. Its current difficulties demonstrate that the success of such a programme depends not simply on acquiring modern aircraft, but on ensuring they can be maintained, crewed and operated economically.

The immediate objective is therefore not necessarily a larger fleet, but a reliable one. Turning existing aircraft into consistently productive assets will be central to restoring the airline's schedule, strengthening regional connectivity and securing its longer-term position in Southern African aviation.