United Airlines and Airlink’s new codeshare partnership will provide over 40 seamless connections in South Africa and offer customers the ability to earn and redeem miles on Airlink flights.
On Tuesday (September 28, 2021), United Airlines announced the launch of a new codeshare partnership with South Africa’s Airlink. The partnership will offer seamless onward connectivity to over 40 destinations in Southern Africa, while allowing Mileage Plus members to earn and redeem miles on codeshared flights. Subject to government approval, the agreement will offer more one-stop connections between the U.S. and Southern Africa than any other airline alliance. The new commercial cooperation is in addition to United’s existing partnership with fellow Star Alliance member South African Airways.
In Tuesday’s announcement, United Airlines’ Vice President of International Network and Alliances, Patrick Quayle, said,
“United continues to demonstrate our commitment to Africa, starting three brand new flights to the continent this year alone including new service to Accra, Ghana; Lagos, Nigeria and Johannesburg, South Africa. And now through our codeshare agreement with Airlink - which is the most expansive partnership in Southern Africa - customers will be able to easily explore more bucket list destinations across the continent including easy connections to Zambia, Zimbabwe and more."
Also commenting on the new codeshare partnership, Airlink’s Managing Director and CEO, Rodger Foster, added,
“North America is an important source market for our destinations. This codeshare will make it easy for our North American customers to reach the Okavango Delta, Chobe, the Kruger National Park and adjacent private game lodges, Cape Town, the Garden Route, Swakopmund and the Copperbelt, among others. Similarly, the codeshare means that our customers in the 12 African countries we currently serve, will have fast and seamless access to all of United's network.”
Established in 1992, South Africa-based Airlink is a privately-owned full-service premium airline. The carrier is South Africa’s largest independent airline, in terms of flight movements and operates a fleet of over 50 modern commercial jets. Airlink serves over 45 destinations in 12 countries throughout Southern Africa, Madagascar and St. Helena Island.
United Airlines’ shared purpose is “Connecting People. Uniting the World.” In 2019, United and United Express® carriers operated over 1.7 million flights carrying over 162 million guests. United Airlines operates the most comprehensive network among North American carriers with mainland U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, New York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Shares in the company’s parent, United Airlines Holdings, Inc., are publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol ‘UAL.’
Source: United Airlines/PRNewswire