BACKGROUND: Airlink is a privately-owned South African airline and the largest independent regional operator in Southern Africa, linking passengers to a number of smaller towns, cities and regional centres. It services more than 35 destinations in Southern Africa, utilising a fleet of Jetstream 41, ERJ 135 jet and BAe RJ85 aircraft. Airlink offers a number of flights between Johannesburg and Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, with a 06h15 flight departing Johannesburg Monday to Friday, in addition to an 08h15 flight on Saturdays and a 16h15 flight every day except Saturdays. Departing Mthatha, there’s a 07h50 flight Monday to Friday, a 09h50 flight on Saturdays, and a 18h00 flight every day except Saturdays.
CHECK-IN: I was on the 06h15 on a Thursday morning and the early start meant avoiding many of the queues. As a result, check-in was seamless, as I walked straight to the desk, was served promptly, was handed my boarding pass, and was in the security queue without any fuss.
LOUNGE & BOARDING: Since 1997 Airlink has been a member of a strategic alliance with South African Airways and SA Express. As a result, Airlink is a member of SAA’s frequent flyer programme Voyager, and members of this loyalty programme have access to SAA’s lounges. As I’m not a Voyager member, I made use of the SLOW lounge in O.R. Tambo International’s domestic departures terminal. Five minutes before the designated boarding time I made my way two floors down to the bottom level of the terminal, where my flight was boarding. The boarding process was straightforward, with buses ferrying passengers to the waiting ERJ135 jet out on the tarmac.
THE SEAT: I’m a tall guy, so there’s not too much room for manoeuvre on a 37-seater aircraft. That being said, whilst I had to duck my head to enter the plane, the seat itself was more than comfortable and with sufficient legroom, considering the size constraints. Unless you’re a seven-foot giant, you’ll be okay! That being said, my advice for taller people is to opt for an aisle seat, as this obviously lends itself to more ‘stretching out’. This particular aircraft was configured 2-2 in a single class, and I believe Airlink also operates an 83-seater AvroRJ85 on this route.
THE FLIGHT: We were scheduled to take off at 06h15, but by 06h40 were still on the tarmac. Whilst the flight staff were attentive, attempting to keep passengers entertained, there was a lack of communication from the flight deck, which could easily have been solved by a simple message, saying “we’ve been delayed” for whatever reason. Nonetheless, we did eventually take off, with the pilot saying an attempt would be made to make up time, which proved the case. Once in the air, we were quickly served a breakfast snack, and I opted for the cheese pancakes, yoghurt and rusk over the sweet option on offer, whilst the coffee was hot, tasty and welcome. There is no inflight entertainment on this aircraft, so I settled in to get some work done, which I was able to do on the tray table in front of me, thanks to a smallish laptop.
ARRIVAL: As already stated, the pilot was able to make up some of the time lost on the tarmac, and we landed around 15 minutes late at 07h45. Flight time on this route is an hour and 15 minutes. At the time of this flight in May, Mthatha Airport was under construction, with a newer version expected to open some time in October. The South African government has spent over R200-million ($15m) on the new terminal building in a bid to make Mthatha airport more attractive to airlines. Currently, Airlink is the only airline that operates to and from the airport. Construction has been delayed due to constant rain and strike action by workers. When open, the facility will boast restaurants, resting areas and up to nine offices for car rental companies.
VERDICT: Besides the lack of communication regarding the flight departure delay, a smooth flight experience and one I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend, should you need to do business in Mthatha. The new airport should also improve the experience, particularly departing Mthatha.
Dylan Rogers
CONTACT
www.flyairlink.com