South African Airlink will on 16 June this year become the first South Africa-based airline to offer a scheduled service between Johannesburg and Beira.

Rodger Foster, CEO of South African Airlink - which is part of the SAA, SA Express, SA Airlink alliance - says the new service forms part of the airline’s development of local feeder services to Sub-Saharan African countries in the wake of relaxed air regulations in Africa. 

“South African Airlink is planning to increase its presence on the African continent to act as a catalyst to increased development in the countries affected. Mocambique is, for example, already involved in massive growth programmes with major corporations such as Sasol having committed itself to large-scale investment there,” Foster stated. 

The new air service to Beira will provide a more direct entry point into Northern Mocambique and the substantial infrastructural development programmes already in place in the region. It will also, to a lesser extent, cater for the tourism market. 

South African Airlink will offer return flights between Johannesburg and Beira on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays on its 37-seater Embraer ERJ regional jets. The flights will leave Johannesburg International at 12 noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays, returning from Beira at 2.05pm; and on Sundays departing from Johannesburg at 9.45am and returning from Beira at 11.50am. 

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