Airlink has withdrawn sales for its direct Cape Town-Gaborone flights after the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana (CAAB) informed the airline that it had not been granted authorisation to operate the route.
The CAAB has also instructed Airlink to remove all advertisements of the new service, which was due to start on April 1 next year, with immediate effect. It has consequently fined Airlink for marketing and selling flights without approval.
Rodger Foster, Airlink CEO and MD, has apologised for prematurely announcing the route.
“There was an oversight on Airlink’s part to offer seats for sale prematurely and we will remedy this. Although Airlink holds a valid foreign operators permit to provide air services between South Africa and Botswana, the process of getting this particular route included on the permit is still being finalised.”
He added that the airline looked forward to extending its mutually beneficial relationship with the CAAB and enhancing Botswana’s connections with the world through Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Customers who have purchased tickets for travel between Cape Town and Gaborone will be re-routed via Johannesburg.
