The finance deal between Nedbank Capital and SA Airlink has been completed, allowing the privately owned airline to expand its network of feeder routes within South Africa to include integrated city-to-game lodge flight options.
The transaction sees Nedbank Capital’s Aircraft Finance division providing the funding required by SA Airlink to purchase four new Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft, which it will use to fly tourists directly to four upmarket game lodges within the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve.
The service will initially connect visitors from Skukuza and Nelspruit airports directly to the Ulusaba, Singita, Arathusa and Londolozi lodges.
“SA Airlink’s code franchising agreement with SAA means that visitors travelling to the four connected Sabi Sand lodges will be able to use the SAA flight reservations facility to book their entire trip,” says Rodger Foster, CEO of Airlink, “effectively removing the hassle of having to arrange separate road shuttle services or complicated secondary aircraft charters from the main centres to their end-destinations.”
