Airlink upgrades fleet
AIRLINK will acquire five Embraer E-Jets during the first half of
2017 – three E170s and two E190s. This follows the addition of
11 Embraer ERJ 140s to its fleet since December. Airlink is in
the process of replacing its current fleet of 12 Avro RJ85s with
the Embraers over the next three years. The E-Jets will replace the
airline’s current Avros on its more established routes and also allow
Airlink to introduce new routes. The E170 will seat 74 passengers,
while the E190 will seat 98 passengers. Airlink will require a total
of 13 E-Jets to complete its planned growth and modernisation
strategy, and is in the process of sourcing the final eight E190s.
Etihad ups flights to Riyadh, Düsseldorf
ETIHAD Airways introduced a third daily flight on its Abu DhabiRiyadh
route, effective February 1. The airline will also launch a
double-daily schedule between Abu Dhabi and Düsseldorf from
March 26. Etihad expects to take delivery of nine more B787-9s
this year, some of which will fly to Shanghai, Beijing and Seoul.
New direct air service to Marataba
MORE luxury hotel and lodge collection, and charter airline, Angel
Gabriel, have launched a new direct daiy air taxi service from Grand
Central Airport in Midrand to Marataba in the Marakele National
Park in Limpopo. The service includes complimentary shuttles to
and from OR Tambo and Lanseria International Airports. The flight
departs from Grand Central at 12h00 and lands in Marataba at
13h00. The return flight departs Marataba at 11h15 and arrives
in Johannesburg at 12h15. The airstrip is a 25-minute drive from
Marataba. The air taxi service is available for a minimum of two
passengers and can be booked only through More reservations.
Proflight Zambia launches new routes
PROFLIGHT Zambia will launch four new domestic routes this year.
The airline relaunched its direct Ndola-Solwezi route in January,
along with Ndola-Kasama flights. A Lusaka-Kalabo service will begin
on March 15 and a direct Mfuwe-Lower Zambezi service will operate
between June 15 and October 31. The Lusaka-Kalabo route will
operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays and the Ndola-Solwezi flight
operates on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Ndola-Kasama flights
operate on Tuesdays and Fridays and the return Kasama-Ndola
service operates on Mondays and Thursdays.
Direct flights from ORTIA to Zim lodge
NEW flights will transfer guests from OR Tambo International Airport
to Buffalo Range in the Zimbabwe Lowveld. The service is available
for a minimum of two passengers staying at least three nights at
Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge or Tented Camp, Gonarezhou. The flights
will operate between April 3 and September 28 (excluding June
22-July 6) departing JNB on Mondays and Thursdays at 12h15,
arriving at Buffalo Range at 14h00. The return flight departs Buffalo
Range at 15h00 and arrives in Johannesburg at 16h45. Flights
include transfers from Buffalo Range to Chilo Gorge Safari Lodge.
