Qatar Airways Group has acquired a 25% stake in Airlink, Southern Africa’s leading independent regional carrier, as part of its strategic expansion across the African continent.
The investment aims to strengthen the existing code-sharing partnership between the two airlines and enhance Qatar Airways’ growth strategy in Africa.
Airlink, which operates flights to over 45 destinations across 15 African countries, will benefit from increased capacity, marketing reach, and operational efficiencies as a result of the deal. The partnership will also align the loyalty programs of both carriers—Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Airlink Skybucks—providing enhanced benefits for frequent travelers.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, emphasized the significance of this investment, stating, “Our investment in Airlink further demonstrates how integral we see Africa being to our business’ future. This partnership not only showcases our confidence in Airlink as a resilient and financially robust company but also highlights Africa’s vast potential, which we are excited to help realize.”
Airlink’s Chief Executive, Rodger Foster, echoed these sentiments, describing the partnership as a “powerful endorsement” of Airlink. He added, “Having Qatar Airways as an equity partner will unlock growth opportunities by providing efficiencies of scale, increasing our capacity, and expanding our marketing reach. This investment will also strengthen all of the existing airline partnerships Airlink has cultivated over the years.”
Qatar Airways currently serves 29 destinations across Africa and has significantly expanded its network on the continent since December 2020, adding cities such as Abidjan, Abuja, Accra, Harare, Kano, Luanda, Lusaka, and Port Harcourt, while also resuming flights to Cairo and Alexandria. The acquisition of a stake in Airlink further cements Qatar Airways’ role as a key player in Africa’s aviation sector and underscores its commitment to driving economic growth across the continent.