Emirates pushing further into South Africa as local airlines struggle
UAE-based airline Emirates has announced the commencement of its codeshare partnership with Airlink as part of its ongoing expansion into South Africa.
“The Emirates and Airlink partnership makes it easier for customers to create their ideal itinerary and benefit from seamless connections and a single booking reference across eight domestic South African cities via the airline’s gateways Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban,” the airline said in a statement on Monday (6 June).
Emirates said travel itineraries can now be booked on its website, with travel agents as well as online travel agents (OTAs). Tickets booked from June 2022 are available for travel immediately, it said.
“Emirates customers can now book a wide range of additional flights, including eight destinations from Johannesburg, five destinations from Cape Town and one point from Durban. Examples of some new route options include Bloemfontein, Hoedspruit, Port Elizabeth, Kimberley, George, and East London, amongst others.
“Emirates currently offers double-daily flights to Dubai from Johannesburg, daily flights to Dubai from Cape Town and five weekly flights to and from Durban. The airline is also driving more connectivity options that provide value through a better experience for its customers.”
Emirates already has existing partnerships with South African Airways, as well as its codeshare agreement with Airlink, and interlines with Cemair and FlySafair, the airline has expanded its reach to 79 regional points in southern Africa.
Comair
Emirates’ expansion comes after aviation company Comair announced the suspension of all of its flights in South Africa on Wednesday (1 June).
The airline which owns and operates Kulula.com flights also acts as a domestic franchise partner of British Airways in the country.
“Comair regrets to advise its flights have been voluntarily suspended from 1 June pending securing funding to resume operations. If your flight has been cancelled, please don’t travel to the airport unless you have alternative arrangements. Our heartfelt apologies for the inconvenience.”
“Once received the airline will be able to recommence operations, but regrettably under these circumstances, the practitioners (administrators) have no choice but to voluntarily suspend all scheduled flights until the funding is confirmed,” it said.
Comair went into business rescue in May 2020 after the Covid-19 pandemic decimated the airline and travel industry. It resumed flying in December 2020, while still in business rescue. It has subsequently been forced to start and stop flights several times in the last 24 months due to ongoing lockdown restrictions.
Government-backed South African Airways and Mango airlines have also entered into business rescue proceedings in the last two years, with the former surviving through a new public-private partnership.
Loading ...