The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KAA) has granted the South Africa airline Airlink permission to launch direct flights between Kenya and South Africa.
Effective April, the direct flights will be between Johannesburg and Nairobi served by an Embraer E190 with a passenger carrying capacity of 98.
“Yes, we are having plans to start flying to Nairobi from 24th April,” the Airline said.
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The new directive poses a tough competation for the Kenya Airways as KQ charges Sh41,820 in economy class from Entebbe, Uganda, to Johannesburg, South Africa, while Airlink charges Sh28,645 on the same route.
“Airlink, Southern Africa’s premier airline, is spreading its wings with a new daily Johannesburg –Nairobi service, which will see it become the first private sector airline to offer flights on the route from April 24, 2023,” Airlink CEO and managing director Rodger Foster said on Thursday.
Earlier this year President William Ruto and his South African Counterpart President Ramaphosa, agreed to foster a mutual trade partnership between the two countries by allowing both citizens to visit the two African giants visa free.