AIR BOTSWANA
Africa is home to twelve percent of the world ’ s people , but it accounts for less than one percent of the global air service market : there is a huge opportunity crying out to be taken up , and Air Botswana is taking the lead
Almost exactly a year ago Mr . Tozivazvipi Benster ( Ben ) Dahwa was appointed as CEO of Air Botswana ( AB ). He thought carefully before taking the job , but having done so he certainly threw himself into the task of formulating and delivering a five year plan to turn the country ’ s national carrier into a catalyst for economic development .
Trained as an engineer , Ben Dahwa has over 30 years ’ experience in aerospace , and sees his job as delivering culture change in an organisation hitherto cast in a traditional mould . To assess the current state , and to formulate change , AB brought in the USAbased consultancy ICF International . “ The plan sets out a strategy based on structured rather than aggressive growth ,” he said . “ We need to consolidate and refine what we do .”
The plan launched at the beginning of this year . Early targets such as on-time performance , cost containment and network rationalisation , however , were addressed right from the time of Dahwa ’ s appointment . For the travelling public the key metric is on-time performance : at the time of writing AB ’ s on time record ( defined by IATA as within 15 minutes of scheduled time ) stands at 86 percent . That is against a global industry average in the low to mid 70s , and represents a 16 percent improvement over the last ten months . Cause for satisfaction ? Yes , agrees Ben Dahwa : “ But we are a small airline . With new equipment and once the changes we are making take effect I see no reason why we
92 May 2015