SA Airlink to launch daily Maun service

SA Airlink is set to launch a new service to Botswana in June this year when the airline starts flying daily to Maun. According to Alwyn Rautenbach, CEO of Airlink Cargo, this bodes well for the freight industry. “At present there are no cargo facilities at Maun Airport, and while the flight is mainly aimed at servicing passengers, it does create great opportunities for the movement of cargo to Botswana.” Rautenbach said Airlink Cargo intended to develop cargo facilities and this could be in conjunction with Air Botswana, the only other airline to fly to Maun at present. “An Airlink ERJ 135 37-seater aircraft will service the route daily,” said Rautenbach. “The flight will depart Johannesburg at 11:45, arriving at 13:15 before returning to Johannesburg at 14:00 with final touchdown at 15:40. Depending on how much baggage passengers carry, we foresee cargo capacity of around 400- 450kilos per flight.” He said SA Airlink would grow the service to a bigger craft that would allow them to carry at least a ton or more depending on the route demand. “While it is a very small aircraft to begin with we believe there are major opportunities to develop cargo capacity and to increase the movement of cargo between Johannesburg and the Okavango Delta region.” He said the outbound flight offered major opportunities for small express parcels, spare parts and other goods needed in the remote area of Maun and its surrounding areas where everything at present has to be roadfreighted. “In terms of the return market we see some major opportunity in the movement of hunting trophies that either have to be brought to Johannesburg to taxidermists or exported.” Botswana is now the seventh international country for SA Airlink which also serves Mozambique, Madagascar, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Lesotho. “The Okavango Delta is primarily a tourist destination and through our daily service to the region we expect to see some major growth on this route over time."