Zimpapers Logo

Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
SOUTH Africa’s Airlink would introduce daily direct return flights between Johannesburg and Victoria Falls as it seeks to reconnect the region’s main economic hub, Johannesburg, with the iconic tourism destination.

Airlink chief executive and managing director, Mr Rodger Foster, said the route will be launched starting next month.

This will be Airlink’s second route into Victoria Falls as the airline already flies between Cape Town and the resort city.

Mr Rodger Foster

In addition, Airlink provides direct flights connecting Harare with Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban and between Bulawayo and Johannesburg.

“Airlink, Southern Africa’s premier airline, will launch daily direct return flights between Johannesburg and Victoria Falls from 15 August 2022 reconnecting the region’s main economic hub with the iconic tourism destination,” said Mr Foster.

“Victoria Falls is a jewel in the region’s tourism crown and Airlink is looking forward to re-establishing connectivity between the attraction and Johannesburg.

“With the recent introduction of long-haul flights from Europe directly to Victoria Falls, our services allow customers arriving on those flights to conveniently include South African destinations in their travel plans,” he said.

The move follows approvals by Zimbabwe’s and South Africa’s aeronautical authorities for the extension of Airlink’s already comprehensive services between the two markets to include the route between Johannesburg and Victoria Falls.

Improving access into Victoria Falls is one of the areas of focus by the Zimbabwean Government and tourism industry in line with the Tourism Growth and Recovery Strategy.

This is envisaged to increase arrivals and connect the destination to every part of the world, making Victoria Falls a world tourism hub.

The airline will operate daily using a modern 98-seat Embraer E-190 jetliner. Airlink works with a number of global partner airlines and introduction of the new route will boost tourism in Southern Africa, including in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area.

The airline is planning to also resume flights to Madagascar once current flight restrictions are lifted.

Airlink was established in 1992 and is an independent, privately-owned and premium airline serving more than 45 destinations in 13 countries throughout Southern Africa, Madagascar and St Helena Island.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Airlink has consistently been the most on-time airline over the last two years with its fleet of more than 50 modern jetliners achieving a 95.58 percent average on-time performance in June 2022 and 96.29 percent for the year to date. — @ncubeleon