Local airline Airlink has recently announced that it will be resuming operations between Johannesburg and Richards Bay from September 19.
The reinstatement of daily flights follows Richards Bay Airport’s securing of the necessary resources to accommodate scheduled airline services after an enforced 20-month hiatus.
With the resumption of flights on the route, the airline is re-connecting Richards Bay with the world, with a choice of convenient connections to their expansive network of domestic and regional destinations, as well as those around the world through their global airline partners.
Airlink Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Rodger Foster said Richards Bay is vital to the economies of KwaZulu-Natal and the entire country.
Foster said its viability and development depend on a fully-functioning and efficient transportation system, with air connectivity playing a key role in driving business and investment in the coal terminus town and the industries it hosts.
“We are ready to welcome Richards Bay customers back on board our flights and help reignite growth and economic activity in the area,'' he said.
The airline’s Richards Bay flights will be operated with 29-seat Jetstream 41 turboprop airliners with the following schedule:
Airlink suspended the Richards Bay and Johannesburg route in April 2020 following the Covid-19 hard lockdown.
In a statement, they said the delay in restarting services on the route had been necessitated by the Richards Bay Airport’s inability to provide the necessary emergency services due to slowed economic activity in the coal terminus harbour town, which had led to weak demand for travel.
Foster called the situation "a classic Catch-22 situation."