Airlink: The All-Embraer Regional Network Connecting Africa Without Joining Any Alliance

The fleet

The current fleet numbers sixteen Embraer E135s, eleven E140s, three E170s, four E175s, twenty-eight E190s and six E195s, for a total of 68 aircraft all from the same manufacturing family, a choice that simplifies maintenance and crew training. In 2025 the airline began a fleet renewal with ten new Embraer E195-E2s leased from Azorra, with the first deliveries arriving at the end of the year and deliveries planned through 2027: the new E2s offer up to 29% fuel savings compared with the previous generation.

Routes and network

From the Johannesburg hub the network reaches dozens of destinations in southern and eastern Africa, many of which are served only by Airlink among carriers with international service standards. Interline agreements with carriers such as Emirates, Qatar Airways and United Airlines allow passengers arriving from abroad to continue on a single ticket to regional destinations that are otherwise difficult to reach.

History and positioning

Unlike the big African flag carriers, Airlink has built its identity around reach: it connects Johannesburg with dozens of secondary destinations in southern and eastern Africa that other international carriers do not consider economically viable with larger aircraft. It does not belong to any major airline alliance, but it maintains code-share and interline agreements with numerous international carriers, including Gulf and North American airlines, which use its regional network as an extension of their own networks into Africa.

What passengers say

The available reviews describe a reliable regional service, appreciated above all by those who need to reach secondary African destinations with no comparable direct alternatives; the most frequent complaints concern fares, perceived as high for the relatively short distances, a factor tied to the lack of competition on many of these routes.

Airlink is the most sensible choice for those who need to reach a secondary African city from Johannesburg with no direct alternatives, while those traveling on routes with more competition should compare prices with other carriers, since the lack of competition on many regional destinations is often reflected in higher fares. Anyone arriving on an international flight connecting with Airlink should check whether the ticket was issued on an interline basis with the main carrier, because this changes the baggage-handling conditions considerably in the event of a delay.