Qatar Airways announced it will acquire a 25% stake in South Africa’s regional carrier Airlink. This partnership aims to enhance services and increase passenger traffic across Africa for both airlines.
The investment in Airlink, which serves over 45 destinations across 15 African countries, will strengthen the code-sharing alliance between the two airlines. This agreement will support Qatar Airways’ strategy for expanding in Africa and solidify its position as a crucial contributor to the continent’s economic prosperity.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said, “Our investment in Airlink further demonstrates how integral we see Africa being to our business’ future. This partnership not only demonstrates our confidence in Airlink, as a company that is resilient, agile, financially robust and governed on sound principles, but also in Africa as a whole, showing huge potential that I am delighted we are able to help start realising.”
Airlink Chief Executive, Rodger Foster, said, “Having Qatar Airways as an equity partner is a powerful endorsement of Airlink and echoes our faith in the markets we currently serve and plan to add to our network. This transaction will unlock growth by providing efficiencies of scale, increasing our capacity and expanding our marketing reach. By bolstering Airlink and its business, this investment will strengthen all of the existing airline partnerships Airlink has nurtured over the years.”
The collaboration between Qatar Airways and Airlink aims to coordinate their loyalty programs—Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Airlink Skybucks.
Qatar Airways presently serves 29 destinations across Africa, reflecting significant growth in the region, with several new routes introduced since December 2020. Recent additions to the Qatar Airways network include Abidjan, Abuja, Accra, Harare, Kano, Luanda, Lusaka, and Port Harcourt. Additionally, Cairo and Alexandria have been reintroduced as destinations.