Airlink to restart Johannesburg-Nosy Be service

16 Feb 2023

Airlink will reinstate weekly scheduled services between Johannesburg and Nosy Be from 23 June 2023 with a once-weekly flight on Sundays. This is part of the airline's drive to restore flights between South Africa and Madagascar to pre-pandemic levels. It follows Airlink's resumption of flights to Madagascar's capital, Antananarivo, in January 2023 after the island republic lifted its ban on flights between the two countries which were suspended for nearly three years.

Source: Supplied

"Having just recently re-established connectivity between Johannesburg and Antananarivo, which is a predominantly business and trade route, Airlink is preparing to re-ignite tourism between the two countries by restarting its popular Nosy Be service.

"In addition to visitors from Southern Africa, Airlink will be making Nosy Be more accessible than before thanks to the convenience and variety of connections with Airlink and its growing family of more than 20 global airline partners, via our main hub at O.R. Tambo International Airport. By reinstating the route, we are giving our customers yet another great destination to choose from," explains Rodger Foster, Airlink CEO and managing director.

Nosy Be is a unique Indian Ocean Island situated off Madagascar’s northwest coast. It is famous for its pristine beaches and unique fauna and flora, including the world-famous lemurs. Prior to the pandemic, it had become increasingly popular with South African tourists. Nosy Be (which is Malagasy for "Big Island") is also ideally suited for outdoor adventure and water sport holidays in a non-commercialized environment, e.g. scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and sport fishing.

Airlink will operate its modern Embraer E-170 twin-engine jetliners on the Nosy Be service.

In addition, Airlink currently operates three flights weekly between Johannesburg and Antananarivo, which will increase to daily service as demand permits.

Flight schedule with effect from 23 June 2023

- 4Z 246 | departs from Johannesburg at 9:10am, and arrives in Nosy Be at 1.40pm on Sundays

- 4Z 247 | departs from Nosy Be at 2.25pm, and arrives in Johannesburg at 5.10pm on Sundays

Customers can book and manage Airlink journeys and find information about destinations as well as health and safety onboard Airlink flights on the website, Airlink’s smartphone app or through travel agents.