Another Air Botswana aircraft was grounded this week after a pilot was declared unfit to fly due to fatigue. This is just the latest disruption to hit the national carrier as questions mount over pilot shortages and certification renewals.
The latest disruption involved a Johannesburg to Gaborone flight which was cancelled after a pilot reportedly declared himself unfit for duty due to fatigue. The incident follows the cancellation of another Johannesburg service in June that has since become the subject of a High Court lawsuit between the state-owned airline and a former captain.
The two incidents come as News&All has established that most of Air Botswana’s pilots are either awaiting renewal of their Operator Proficiency Checks (OPC) or Licence Proficiency Checks (LPC), leaving only a limited number available for active flight operations.
OPCs and LPCs are mandatory assessments required for commercial pilots to remain legally qualified to operate passenger aircraft. The Operator Proficiency Check, conducted every six months, evaluates a pilot’s compliance with operational procedures and standards contained in an airline’s approved operations manual. The Licence Proficiency Check, conducted every 12 months, confirms that a pilot continues to meet regulatory requirements necessary to hold both a pilot license and an aircraft type rating.
The apparent reduction in the number of available pilots has raised questions about whether the airline has sufficient operational crew to sustain its schedule while complying with fatigue management requirements. Those questions were put directly to Air Botswana this week.
News&All asked whether the airline had standby pilots available when the recent flight was cancelled, how many pilots are currently active, whether staffing levels meet operational requirements, how many pilots are unavailable and why, and how many aircraft are currently operational.
“Where operational circumstances require adjustments to the flight schedule, those decisions are taken in the interest of maintaining safe operations,” the airline said in response to our inquiries. The statement also cited the airline’s IOSA registration and aviation safety awards as evidence of its commitment to safety.
The airline did not answer any of the questions. Instead, Air Botswana issued a general statement saying it remains committed to aviation safety and that all operational decisions are made in accordance with regulatory requirements and internationally recognized standards.
“Where operational circumstances require adjustments to the flight schedule, those decisions are taken in the interest of maintaining safe operations,” the airline said in response to our inquiries. The statement also cited the airline’s IOSA registration and aviation safety awards as evidence of its commitment to safety.
However, the airline did not address the specific questions regarding pilot availability. This publication has been reliably informed that the pilot involved in the most recent cancellation was suffering from severe fatigue and was unable to continue operating the return sector of the flight. Sources familiar with the incident said the pilot reported feeling unwell and formally declared himself unfit to operate to fellow crew members.
According to the information received, crew members subsequently escorted the pilot to the airport clinic, where he was assessed and declared medically unfit to continue flying. The aircraft was grounded and affected passengers had to be assisted with alternative arrangements being made.
The incident has renewed attention on staffing levels within the airline and its ability to absorb operational disruptions when pilots become unavailable.
The latest cancellation comes only weeks after Air Botswana sued a former captain over the cancellation of flights on June 21. According to court papers, the airline claims the captain failed to operate a rostered Johannesburg service, forcing it to cancel flights and rebook passengers.
The lawsuit contains an admission that has become central to the current debate.
Air Botswana told the court it was unable, within the required operational window, to secure replacement crew after the pilot became unavailable, forcing the cancellation of the affected flights. In his defence, the pilot disputes the airline’s version of events and argues that he declared himself unfit for duty because of fatigue after conducting a mandatory self-assessment required under airline procedures. According to the court filing, the former captain informed Air Botswana that he was unable to undertake further flight operations after concluding he was fatigued following several consecutive flights.
He further states that Air Botswana’s operations manual places obligations on both management and pilots to ensure that crew members are adequately rested, have not exceeded flight hour limitations and are fit to operate aircraft safely.
The latest cancellation means pilot fatigue has now featured in two separate flight disruptions within roughly a month.
At the same time, questions are emerging about how many pilots are currently available to operate Air Botswana’s fleet.
Sources familiar with the airline’s operations say management has been working to return a second ATR aircraft to active service, a move expected to increase operational capacity. However, questions remain about whether available flight crew numbers are keeping pace with the airline’s operational requirements.
For now, the airline maintains that safety remains its highest priority.
But with two fatigue-related cancellations in a month, ongoing litigation centred on pilot fatigue, acknowledged crew shortages, efforts to return additional aircraft to service and questions surrounding pilot certification renewals, Air Botswana still cannot provide answers about its operational readiness and available pilot capacity.
