airlink to increase flights from johannesburg to polokwane and maseru
JOHANNESBURG – Airlink, Southern Africa’s regional airline, will introduce additional flights on its daily services linking O.R. Tambo International with Polokwane and also with Maseru.
From 16 March, Airlink will operate a fourth daily return service to Polokwane in Limpopo Province. This mid-morning service will allow shorter connecting times at Johannesburg for Polokwane-bound passengers arriving from the UK and Europe, as well as domestic travellers from Cape Town and Durban.
Airlink Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Rodger Foster, said: “This improved schedule will provide greater traveller convenience. It confirms Airlink’s confidence in Polokwane Gateway airport as a key transport node for Limpopo Province. We have a number of leisure travellers who use Polokwane to travel to the North Western parts of Limpopo and the South Eastern Botswana for example.”
“In addition to the extra flights Airlink has also recently moved it’s Polokwane passenger operations into a new terminal building offering comfortable and improved passenger facilities”, he added.
To cater for weekend leisure and returning business travellers, Airlink has also introduced its larger 83-seat Avro RJ regional jet to provide additional capacity on its popular Thursday and Friday late afternoon flights to Polokwane.
More flights to Maseru, Lesotho
Airlink will also increase flights between Johannesburg and Maseru to four a day, Mondays to Fridays.
This follows the successful implementation of a new advanced Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS, which is similar, but independent of GPS). It replaces the old-generation ground-based navigational beacons and improves reliability of flights in cloudy conditions that require pilots to apply Instrument Flight Rules for navigation
“The GNSS technology will enable Airlink to provide a more consistent and reliable service than has been possible since September 2007 when the old navigation beacons fell into disrepair causing numerous flight diversions during inclement weather and poor visibility conditions. We’re encouraged by the commitment of our partner, the Lesotho Government, which has commissioned the installation of new navigational equipment and an Instrument Landing System at Maseru’s Moshoeshoe International Airport. Coupled with the GNSS, these will provide further operational safety improvements in poor weather conditions”, explained Mr Foster.
The new flight details are:
Flight No. From To Departure Arrival
SA 8809 Johannesburg (ORTIA) Polokwane 10.50 11.50
SA 8810 Polokwane Johannesburg (ORTIA) 12.10 13.15
SA 8062 Johannesburg (ORTIA) Maseru 12.00 13.10
SA 8063 Maseru Johannesburg (ORTIA) 13.30 14.45
For more information please contact:
Karin Murray, Airlink
Tel: 011 961 1749
email: karinmurray@flyairlink.com