One of Airlink’s flagship Embraer E190 airliners, painted in the airline’s new livery.
Photo by: Airlink/Mark Mansfield
South African private-sector airline Airlink has announced that it will start operations between Johannesburg and Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo on November 30. Lubumbashi is the capital of the DRC’s mineral-rich Haut-Katanga province, the centre of its mining industry and its number two city.
“Airlink is looking forward to establishing direct services – and flying our brand new colours – between the region’s important mining and minerals centres and supporting commerce, trade and tourism between the two countries,” affirmed airline CEO Rodger Foster. The new service will be flown three days a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The Johannesburg-Lubumbashi flights will be coded 4Z021 and the return flights 4Z022. There will be one service each way on each of the three operating days.
Passengers will have to comply with all the health and safety requirements of the South African and DRC governments. Airlink also is focused on the health and safety of its personnel and passengers.
The flights to and from Lubumbashi will provide seamless connectivity with the airline’s services between Johannesburg and Cape Town and Johannesburg and Durban. They will also be able to connect with Airlink’s other South African domestic and Southern African regional services.
On flights operated by its flagship Embraer E190 jetliners, the airline offers its intra-continental business class service, with wide seats in a two+one arrangement, very good legroom, a 30 kg check-in baggage allowance, priority boarding, and complimentary meals and drinks. Economy class passengers have a two+two seating arrangement, good legroom, a 20 kg check-in baggage allowance (plus a 15 kg sports equipment allowance), and complimentary refreshments and a light meal.