The Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) is moving to clip Air Botswana’s wings of monopoly over local air routes.
The CAA has called for expression of interest from air craft operators who want to participate in the liberalized air transport, including new market entrants.
┬áThe licensing authority says, through advertisements placed in the media, that together with government they are desirous of knowing how many operators are likely to participate in the “fully liberalised Botswana Aviation Market”.
 A draft Civil Aviation Bill was presented to parliament on Monday by the Minister of Transport and Communications, Frank Ramsden, to provide for the control and regulation of civil aviation.
 CAAB is responsible for the regulation of air transport, the provision of air navigation and air traffic services in Botswana. Some of the above functions were previously performed by the former Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) and CAAB now continues to promote the safe, secure, regular and efficient use and development of aviation in Botswana.
The activities and service providers regulated by the CAAB include five airlines providing international scheduled services, 68 privately owned airfields are licensed, 185 civil aircraft on aircraft register 232 pilots are licensed, four aircraft maintenance organisations and the Aviation Training Organisation (ATO).
Botswana has six main airports and 18 airfields operated and constantly maintained by the CAAB, all of which have plans for improvements over the next few years.
The main airports in Botswana are: Sir Seretse Khama Airport, opened in 1984 and is the main international gateway into Botswana; Maun Airport┬á – the second busiest airport in Botswana and the base for tourist activities in the Okavango area and other parts of North West District,┬á Francistown Airport, open to both domestic and international traffic; Kasane Airport, strategically situated on the ‘Four Corners’, that is, it borders Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe; Ghanzi Airport and Selibe Phikwe Airport.
