Airlines
South Africa’s Airlink, Safair to Merge
Companies hope to gain regulatory approval during next year’s first quarter
A FlySafair Boeing 737-400 prepares to approach Cape Town. (Photo: Safair)
A FlySafair Boeing 737-400 prepares to approach Cape Town. (Photo: Safair)

South African airlines Airlink and Safair applied to the country’s competition commission on Tuesday for approval to merge under the Airlink group of companies. The proposal calls for Airlink and Safair’s various businesses, including low-fare carrier FlySafair and humanitarian aid operations, to continue to operate separately under their own brands. Plans call for the airlines to retain their respective fleets and leadership teams, and the companies promise no job losses as a result of the consolidation. Meanwhile, Safair shareholder ASL Aviation Holdings—a global aviation group whose financial interests also include six European and two Asian airlines--will become a minority shareholder of the Airlink group of companies.