CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN UGANDA AND SOUTH AFRICA BOOSTED AS AIRLINK LAUNCHES FLIGHTS
(Posted 20th September 2021)
Airlink, South Africa’s private airline, has spread the wings further yet when the company launched flights from Johannesburg to Entebbe yesterday, Sunday, 19th September.
The airline has previously served Entebbe on behalf of South African Airways but when SAA halted operations also had to cancel their flights to Uganda until they obtained their own traffic rights. Airlink competes on the route with Uganda Airlines, which flies four times a week from Uganda to South Africa.
Airlink is using an Embraer E190 on the route, offering a 2×2 configuration in Economy Class, 92 seats, and a 1×2 configuration in Business Class, 6 seats.
Airlink has been ranked as South Africa’s most punctual airline, based on its 97.70% average on-time performance for the year to date, according to the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA).
This puts Airlink on track to repeat its 2020 top ranking when its overall on-time performance was consistently better than 96%.
“It proves that there is always room for improvement. On-time performance is crucial for our customers who rely on Airlink for their business and leisure travel in the region, including those connecting with our expanding list of long-haul partner airlines. The reliability of our service has helped to fuel demand for our flights. As a result of our steady growth, Airlink now provides its hallmark service on mainline routes in addition to serving our traditional base of smaller cities and towns. Today, our fleet of over 50 aircraft serve more than 45 destinations across the widest network of all airlines in the region” explained Airlink CEO and Managing Director, Rodger Foster.
“Similarly, cargo shippers depend on Airlink to ensure their goods reach their markets on time and in pristine condition” he added.
According to ACSA’s recent scores, Airlink achieved a 98.11% score for August 2021 and for the overall year to date for its flights departing and arriving at all ACSA-managed airports. To be classified as “on-time”, departures and arrivals have to occur within 15 minutes of their published schedule
“This performance is a testament to our laser focus on providing excellent and reliable service. It also reflects the dedication and hard work of our partners and service providers in giving our customers a frictionless travel experience,” said Mr Foster.
Airlink is an independent privately-owned, full-service premium regional airline, serving a comprehensive network of destinations throughout Southern Africa. The airline is the largest in Southern Africa when measured by flight movements and emphasises reliability of service whilst maximising choice and travel opportunities for its customers. Airlink has more than 50 commercial jetliners operating throughout Southern Africa. Airlink is a member of the IATA (International Air Transport Association) and is IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit program) accredited.
