Airlink spreads its wings with name change, new ties with international carriers

'SA Airlink' is now officially 'Airlink'. CEO Rodger Foster says the airline's addressing market gaps left by SAA and Comair.

The regional airline has officially changed its company name from “SA Airlink” to “Airlink”.

This is part of Airlink's strategy to distinguish itself as a "totally independent" airline.

"Earlier this year Airlink ended its 23 year franchise agreement with South African Airways and began operating and issuing tickets on its own '4Z' code and designator."

We have officially changed our company name from “SA Airlink” to “Airlink”, as part of our strategy to distinguish ourselves as a totally independent airline.

READ FULL ARTICLE: https://t.co/e8mGyFl4zu #flyairlink #Airlink4Z #Airlink #ProudlySouthAfrican pic.twitter.com/MSztVhpgIK

— Airlink (@Fly_Airlink) October 26, 2020

It has also signed "interline" agreements with international carriers (Emirates, British Airways, KLM...) and is set to expand its routes.

Airlink CEO Rodger Foster explains the significance of these agreements - and how they differ from "code sharing" - on The Money Show.

An interline relationship enables customers from each of the parties to be interlined... so they [a partner like Emirates] can sell their ticket itineraries from wherever the point of departure is through their main hub into Johannesburg and onto the services of Airlink, and vice versa, on a single ticket.

Rodger Foster, CEO - Airlink

Code sharing, he says, would see the flight number of the other airline featuring on your Airlink flight.

While interlining does not allow for this, it still makes life easier for the traveller.

You can through-check your luggage and through-check yourself from your point of departure through two hubs onto your end destination by way of interlining.

Rodger Foster, CEO - Airlink

Airlink flights are now sold on www.flyairlink.com and no longer via the website of beleaguered national airline South African Airways (SAA).

[Like FlySafair for instance] we are also opportunistically addressing market gaps that have been left in the absence of SAA and Comair... The market is very significantly diminished as to where it was pre-Covid.

Rodger Foster, CEO - Airlink

I think whoever comes back into the market now has to regain their integrity... and their foothold into the market, so they have to regain market share in essence and it's not going to be easy because the existing incumbents are aggressively adding capacity as the market requires them to.

Rodger Foster, CEO - Airlink

Listen to Foster discuss Airlink's plans and the state of the local aviation industry:

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