JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – Ethiopian Airlines entered an agreement to share flight routes with regional South African carrier Airlink, as the continent’s biggest airline expands its reach.
Ethiopian Airlines has entered into a series of partnerships with continental and global carriers.
The latest agreement lets travellers buy one ticket to fly across each airline’s routes, connecting smaller South African towns with Ethiopian’s global reach. “In our continuous commitment and endeavour to expand our service beyond our extensive network in Africa, we are happy to enhance our cooperation and add Airlink to our list of growing partners,” ET Group Chief Executive Tewolde Gebremariam said in a statement on Thursday.
“As South Africa represents the continent’s largest market… implementation of this interline agreement will create ease of access” for travellers to South African regional airports, he added.
Johannesburg-based Airlink is South Africa’s main air service between smaller towns and larger airport hubs.
National carrier South African Airways (SAA) recently emerged from a 17-month business rescue and resumed a handful of domestic and regional services last month.
It had survived for decades on government bailouts and was shutting routes even before coronavirus hit.
With a fleet of just six planes down from 46, SAA signed an agreement with Kenya Airways last month with the long-term aim to create a pan-African airline. Workers spraying disinfectant on an Ethiopian Airlines plane at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, in Abuja, Nigeria. PHOTO: AFP
Brunei Darussalam yesterday recorded 105 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the national tally of confirmed cases to 10,356.
Two new clusters were also detected, while three clusters have been closed, bringing the total active clusters to 169.
The latest COVID-19 situation was highlighted by Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar at the daily press conference yesterday.
Explaining the new clusters, the minister said both clusters are housing clusters accommodating companies’ employees – SWWC Sdn Bhd Cluster and Simla Sdn Bhd Cluster involving 39 cases – while Jaya Hypermart Cluster, 1328 Cluster and 2417 Cluster have been closed after no new cases were detected for 28 days.The minister said there are 22 additional new cases to eight existing active clusters, who were previously close contacts with several positive cases. Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar and Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin at the press conference. PHOTO: BAHYIAH BAKIR Three imported cases were also […]