South Africa: Airlink suspends its "Lodge Link System"
South African privately-owned regional carrier Airlink has announced the temporary suspension of its "Lodge Link System". The lodge service, which provides air shuttle services from Skukuza Airport (SZK) in Kruger National Park and Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) near Nelspruit to Londolozi, Arathusa, Ngala, Phinda and Ulusaba game lodges, is aimed at international tourists wanting fast and simple access directly to the doorstep of the private game lodges.
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and travel bans for travel to South Africa by 122 countries, almost no international inbound tourists are currently travelling to and from South Africa. The absence of international tourists makes it commercially not viable for Airlink to operate the "Lodge Link System", which therefore had to be temporarily suspended up until 30 June 2021. Given the uncertainty of the travel bans, Airlink will review the feasibility of returning to service. In the interim, flights will remain closed for sale from July 2021 onwards.
Airlink launched the "Lodge Link System" in May 2015 to complement its popular scheduled services from Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town and OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg to Skukuza Airport (SZK) in Kruger National Park and Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) near Nelspruit.
