(Posted 20th August 2024)
Despite repeated denials in recent days – when the writing was clearly on the wall already – by Airlink’s CEO Rodger Foster, has Qatar Airways now confirmed that they have taken a stake in Airlink of initially 25 percent, the maximum presently allowed by the South African government. Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer had given the clearest indication of taking a shareholding at the recent Farnborough Air Show, subsequently prompting a flurry of denials by Airlink’s CEO – now all proven wrong if not deliberately misleading.
The Airlink deal beats another African carrier to the door and has come at a time when Qatar Airways’ stake in RwandAir still remains in suspense, leaving aviation pundits to speculate over the reasons why the long awaited deal has not been concluded in a more timely manner.
Qatar Airways, already flying to 29 destination in Africa, will through the shareholding in Airlink gain further access to the Southern African market through the wide destination network within and outside South Africa to where Airlink operates.
