Discover Airlines celebrates new direct route Munich - Windhoek

For Namibia fans living in south-east Germany or neighbouring countries, the land of endless horizons is getting a little closer. Discover Airlines has recently started flying direct from Munich to Windhoek.

The first Discover Airbus on this route landed on Wednesday morning at Hosea Kutako International Airport to the east of the country's capital. As is customary for maiden flights, it was greeted with fountains of water.

The welcome of the passengers was not at all customary. The German ambassador to Namibia, Thorsten Hutter, shook hands with each guest at the foot of the stairs and gave them a small gift. He then officially opened the new flight route by cutting a ribbon in front of the maiden flight aircraft.

Every guest on the maiden flight on the new Munich - Windhoek route is welcomed by the German Ambassador to Namibia, Thorsten Hutter, with a handshake and a small gift. Photo: Discover Airlines

On the same evening, Discover Airlines invited representatives from the travel industry as well as guests from politics and society to an opening ceremony. At a lodge east of Windhoek, the airline's Chief Commercial Officer, Marco Götz, named the milestones in the young airline's success story.

The Lufthansa subsidiary was founded in July 2021, during the time of travel restrictions due to coronavirus. Namibia was one of its first destinations, with the first flight in August 2021.

"Since we started flying here from Frankfurt, Windhoek has been one of the most frequented destinations of our airline," says Marco Goetz. Namibia is also one of the favourite destinations for the airline's flying personnel. "In the hotels and lodges, our crews are now greeted with 'welcome home'."

Three direct flights a week from Munich to Windhoek

Water fountains to welcome the Discover Airlines Airbus aircraft after its maiden flight on the new route from Munich to Windhoek. Photo: Discover Airlines

Discover Airlines flies ten times a week from Germany to Namibia. Three of these ten connections now depart from Munich. Seven flights remain in Frankfurt, three of which continue via Windhoek to Victoria Falls.

In April, the flights from Munich to Windhoek will take place on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. From May, the flights will move to Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Discover Airlines hopes that the new Munich airport will attract even more passengers to Namibia. This is because Munich not only has a large catchment area, but is also an important hub, according to Götz. The Lufthansa subsidiary also started flights from Munich to Orlando and Calgary.

This also allows Discover to better utilise the advantages of its network within the Lufthansa Group. The calculation seems to be working out: "We are already seeing strong demand from travellers from southern Germany." And according to Götz, the aircraft on the maiden flight was almost full.

Ethiopean Airlines also offers flights from Europe to Namibia, albeit with a stopover in Addis Ababa. Many Namibia holidaymakers also fly via Johannesburg or Cape Town to the land of endless horizons.