Mack Air
{{Short description|Airline of Botswana}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Mack Air
| image = Mack_Air_Logo.jpg
| caption =
| IATA = -
| ICAO = MKB
| callsign = Greentail
| founded =
| commenced = 1994
| ceased =
| aoc =
| bases =
| hubs =
| focus_cities =
| frequent_flyer =
| fleet_size = See Fleet below
| destinations =
| parent =
| headquarters = Maun, Botswana
| key_people = Stuart and Lara Mackay
| num_employees = 110 (2021)
| website = {{URL|mackair.co.bw}}
}}
File:Mack Air aircraft at sunset v1.jpg
File:Citation M2 Kasane v1.jpg
Mack Air is a charter airline based in Maun, Botswana. The company has been operating in northern Botswana since 1994.
The company provides aircraft for charter, scenic, medical evacuation, and services a wide range of tourist destinations within Botswana and the Southern Africa region; as well as providing supply flights to camps and lodges within the Okavango Delta and Kalahari regions of Botswana.{{cite web|url = http://www.mackair.co.bw/|title = Mack Air|access-date = 2015-09-21|author = Mack Air}}
The Botswana Travel Guide says of the airline that it "maintains a good reputation as an reliable, high-quality air charter company which doesn't have ties to any of the camps."{{Cite web|url = http://www.botswana-travel-guide.com/bradt_guide.asp?bradt=933|title = Flight companies|access-date = 28 December 2010|last = Botswana Travel Guide}}
History
Mack Air was founded at Maun Airport, Botswana in 1994 by Lara and Stuart Mackay with a single Cessna 206 Stationair.{{cite journal |last1=Spaeth |first1=Andreas |title=Botswana's sky-high bush safari |journal=Airliner World |date=July 2023 |issue=288 |pages=53–61}}
In 2007 Mack Air employed 15 people and in 2019 reported 50 employees, including 19 pilots. By 2021 it had 110 employees, including 30 pilots.{{cite web|url = http://www.aircharterguide.com/Operator_Info/MACK_AIR/828|title = Operator Details - Mack Air|access-date = 2009-11-07|last = Penton Media|year = 2007}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.mackair.co.bw/about_mackair.htm |title=About Mac Air |access-date=2016-03-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110825195410/http://www.mackair.co.bw/about_mackair.htm |archive-date=2011-08-25 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mackair.co.bw/about/|title=About | MackAir|date=July 22, 2020|website=www.mackair.co.bw}}
In 2017, the company took delivery of ten new Cessna Grand Caravan EXs as part of its fleet expansion.{{Cite web|url=https://www.avcom.co.za/aerocont/?p=1718|title=Botswana's Mack Air Takes Delivery of 10 Cessna Caravan EX's|website=www.avcom.co.za}}
In 2019, Mack Air became the first private commercial operator in Botswana to be issued an International Scheduled Air Service Licence.https://www.mackair.co.bw/scheduled/
Accidents and incidents
On 6 January 2010 the company's Cessna 208 crashed and was "extensively damaged" upon takeoff from Piajio Airstrip, Chief's Island, Okavango Delta, Botswana when its engine failed. The aircraft landed on a wet flood plain and overturned. The pilot and the five passengers were all injured, including one passenger who suffered a broken hip. The pilot and four of the injured passengers were evacuated to a South African hospital.{{Cite news|url = http://gazettebw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5029:five-injured-in-aircraft-crash&catid=18:headlines&Itemid=2|title = Five injured in aircraft crash|access-date = 14 December 2010|last = Ontebetse|first = Khonani|date = January 2010|work = Botswana Gazette|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110711081417/http://gazettebw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5029:five-injured-in-aircraft-crash&catid=18:headlines&Itemid=2|archive-date = 11 July 2011|url-status = dead}}{{Cite web|url = http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20100106-0|title = Accident description|access-date = 14 December 2010|last = Aviation Safety Network|date=January 2010}}
Destinations
The following is a list of destinations Mack Air flies to as part of its scheduled services, {{As of|2022|02|lc=y}}:{{Cite web|url=https://www.mackair.co.bw/scheduled/|title=Scheduled Services | MackAir|date=August 13, 2020|website=www.mackair.co.bw|access-date=7 February 2022}}
Fleet
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commons category|Mack Air}}
- {{Official website|http://www.mackair.co.bw}}