Airlink is an airline based in South Africa. It is privately owned and has developed into South Africa's first feeder network aimed at linking the smaller towns, regional centers and hubs throughout South Africa. It is no longer part of an alliance with South African Airways and South African Express, but still maintains various co-operative agreements. Airlink has its head office on the grounds of OR Tambo Airport in Kempton Park, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.[1][2]
[edit] History
Airlink was formed in 1995 and incorporated a range of other airlines: Midlands Aviation (founded in 1967), Lowveld Aviation Services, Magnum Airways, Border Air, Citi Air and Link Airways. It has a 49% share in Zimbabwe Airlink and a 40% share in Airlink Swaziland. In 1997 Airlink joined South African Airways and South African Express Airways in a strategic alliance, and was rebranded as South African Airlink, but this partnership was discontinued in early 2006.
[edit] Services
Airlink operates the following services (as of April 2009[update])[3]:
The Airlink fleet consists of the following aircraft as of 24 September 2008 (2008 -09-24)[update] [1]:
On order: 2 Embraer 170-100LR
As of 24 September 2008 (2008 -09-24)[update], the average age of the Airlink fleet is 14.3 years ([2]).
[edit] Incidents and accidents
- On September 24, 2009, Airlink Flight 8911, a BAe Jetstream 41, crashed in the suburb of Merebank shortly after takeoff from Durban International Airport, injuring its crew of three and one person on the ground.[5][6] The captain, Allister Freeman, died as a result of complications from his injuries on 7 October 2009. [7]
- On 18 November 2009, Airlink BAe Jetstream 41 (registration:ZS-OMZ) on flight SA-8488 veered off the runway while taking-off from Port Elizabeth Airport to East London. All of the 32 passengers and crew were uninjured. The airline attributed the incident to bad weather with decreased visibility, rain and wind present.[8]
- On 7 December 2009, an Airlink Embraer ERJ 135 (registration:ZS-SJW) on scheduled flight SA-8625, overshot the runway when trying to land in wet weather at George Airport; no fatalities were reported.[9][10][11]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| Members of the International Air Transport Association | | | | | | Asia-Pacific regional office | | | | | | | China and North Asia regional office | | | | | | | | | | Latin America and the Caribbean regional office | | | | | | | Middle East and North Africa regional office | | | | | | | North America regional office | | | | | | | Russia and the CIS regional office | | | | | |
