Airlink has formally accepted three new E195-E2 jetliners produced by Brazilian company, Embraer.
These jetliners, leased from the US-based Azorra, seat up to 136 passengers and will allow Airlink to boost its fleet.
It can use these jetliners to increase its capacity on high-density routes like Johannesburg to Cape Town, as well as to open new route opportunities within sub-Saharan Africa.
“The integration of the E195-E2s into Airlink’s fleet is an important milestone in the company’s 33-year history and will set it on a new trajectory,” said Airlink CEO de Villiers Engelbrecht.
“In addition to the operational and commercial flexibility the larger and more capable aircraft offer, they will also unlock additional efficiencies and cost savings from the commonalities with our existing E-Jets.”
These commonalities include similar flight decks, operating procedures, and handling characteristics.
It will therefore be easier for Airlink to enter these jets into service – with the current plan being for these aircraft to enter service in December to meet peak holiday flight demand.
In the months preceding this, Airlink’s operational staff will undergo training for the new aircraft, while Airlink will comply with the certification process to demonstrate its ability to operate and support the new aircraft.
Airlink in hot water
This positive news will lift spirits at the airline amid its ongoing Competition Tribunal hearings.
The tribunal is hearing allegations that Airlink abused its market dominance between 2012 and 2016 on the Johannesburg-Mthatha route.
The allegations are that Airlink deliberately lowered prices to drive out rival Fly Blue Crane, before raising prices once the competitor exited the route.
“The commission argues this conduct harmed consumers and discouraged new entrants, with losses estimated at up to R108 million,” said aviation expert Guy Leitch.
“We’ve seen problems with SAA, Comair, and others, with Comair even winning more than a billion rand in damages against SAA for abusing the free market,” he added.
“So this is not a new problem.”
However, Leitch also stressed that Airlink’s servicing of the Johannesburg-Mthatha route is critical.
“If they didn’t operate, and no other airline stepped in, Mthatha would slowly decline. It’s 200 kilometres to East London, so without flights, investment, and people simply wouldn’t come,” he noted.
“It’s incredibly difficult to determine what a fair price is in aviation. That’s why this is such a landmark case for competition law.”
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