(Posted 28th November 2025)
Airlink, Southern Africa’s premier privately owned airline is crowning its Black Friday fares promotion with the roll-out today of its latest “Skybucks” custom-liveried aircraft, the first to emerge from its new aircraft painting facility at Polokwane International Airport.
The Embraer ERJ135LR jetliner, registration ZS-TGC, in its new seductive black paint-scheme is expected to make its operational debut tomorrow when it operates from Polokwane to Airlink’s hub at Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport.
It took a team of six Airlink personnel just 18 days to dress-up the aircraft in its smart Skybucks frequent flyer programme colours.
“The process began with the careful removal of the old paint, through light sanding technique, to prepare the surface. We then applied the new, high-quality paint, which is designed for durability and a gloss smoothy finish. In aviation, an uneven application can disrupt aerodynamic airflow, thereby compromising the aircraft’s performance and fuel efficiency. The final finish must be exceptionally smooth to minimize drag. This is a highly specialized task, and Airlink’s new paint shop in Polokwane is established to be a centre of excellence for this specialised field,” said Samuel Mampshika, Airlink’s Executive Manager: Responsible Person Aircraft.
