After a decade of closure, South African local carrier Airlink is set to re-establish direct flights to the Kruger National Park from March 2014.
Airlink’s initial plans are to provide flights into Kruger via Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban on a daily basis as of next year. The company is expected to commision Skukuza Airport Management Company to refurbish the runway and terminal building and redesign the navigational procedures to minimize the effect on the environment.
Airlink’s CEO, Rodger Foster said, ‘The opportunity to link Skukuza synergistically with Airlink’s other destinations in Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique will allow for very exciting African safari opportunities, a feature which our travel industry colleagues are extremely excited about.’
David Mabunda, SANParks CEO said the agreement will benefit SANParks’ clients who ‘will no longer be subjected to a torturous life-risking a one- to two- hour journey on poorly maintained roads from Nelspruit to the Kruger National Park. We are reliving a tradition that started in 1959 to enhance visitor convenience and experience.”
Airlink are in the process of establishing final schedules and fares and are expected to release them in the next few weeks. Flights will be bookable via agent Global Distribution Systems and flysaa.com. The destination city will be Skukuza and the code is SZK.
Foster added, ‘In terms of the arrangement, Airlink will provide daily scheduled airline services linking Skukuza with Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo International Airport (find accommodation near O.R. Tambo International Airport), Cape Town International Airport and Durban’s King Shaka International Airport, and via these hubs and our partnership with South African Airways, together with it’s Star Alliance carrier’s global networks, to the rest of the world.
Lion Sands will provide hospitality and retail services at the Skukuza airport and Federal Air will supply charter services to carry passengers between Skukuza and other game lodges in the region. Federal will also provide links from Skukuza to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport to feed our onward flights to Livingstone in Zambia (travel packages to Zambia) and Vilanculos (a local’s guide to Vilanculos) in Mozambique.
Things to do in the Kruger National Park
The first motorists entered the park in 1927. The cost? One pound.
With over 27 000 African buffalo, 12 000 elephants and 9 500 blue wildebeest, the Kruger National Park has been dubbed the ‘centre of South African’s soul‘. Here are some great things to do and look out for while visiting SA’s flagship National Park:
10 best lookouts in the Kruger
Kruger National Park’s 5 best bird hides
From Biyamiti to Sabie, all you need to know about accommodation in Kruger National Park
Travel packages to the Kruger National Park
