The eagerly-awaited Airlink service on the route between Port Elizabeth and Mthatha Airports will commence today with a historic flight expected to leave Port Elizabeth at 13h00 and arrive in Mthatha at 14h05. From Mthatha, the flight departs at 14h45 and arrives in Port Elizabeth at 15h50. The lowest one way fare will cost approximately R707 and the highest R1 254. Fares are subject to availability at the time of making the booking.
“This marks the realisation of our vision, which is clearly articulated in our Blue Skyway Aviation Strategy. It means that three of our airports (East London, Mthatha and Port Elizabeth) are now ready to contribute to the provincial growth and development plan and our 2010 FIFA World Cup plans. The remaining challenge is to make sure that all four airports in the province complement each other,” says Eastern Cape MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison, Ghishma Barry.
“Our main intension is to have an airline between Cape Town and Mthatha via Bhisho. An important goal is to link Port Elizabeth to Mthatha via Bhisho with the service geared for faster movement between these three areas, especially with the tournament around the corner,” she added.
The introduction of this service augurs well with the latest developments in the Mthatha Airport, which include the R56 million phase one of the Mthatha Airport upgrade. Earlier this month, the construction of a temporary prefabricated building was completed using advanced technology adjacent to the existing terminal building of the Airport in order to allow the continuation of operations during the renovation of the permanent terminal building.
Enquiries:
Ncedo Kumbaca
Cell: 082 44 22 388
Issued by: Department of Transport, Safety and Liaison, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
26 February 2010
