Article has been updated since publishing. Commencement date has been altered to June 25.

Airlink will reinstate weekly scheduled services between Johannesburg and Nosy Be from June 25, as the airline drives the restoration of its flights between South Africa and the Indian Ocean island back to pre-pandemic levels.

Airlink’s flights to Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, restarted in January after the island republic lifted its ban on flights between the two countries after a suspension lasting nearly three years.

“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 OR Tambo International Airport. By reinstating the route, we are giving our customers yet another great destination to choose from,” said Airlink CEO and MD, Rodger Foster.

Nosy Be is a unique island situated off Madagascar’s north-west coast. It is famous for its pristine beaches and unique fauna and flora, including the world-famous lemurs, which include two critically endangered species, the Nosy Be Sportive Lemur and Claire's Mouse Lemur, as well as the endangered Black Lemur.  

Nosy Be is ideally suited to outdoor adventure and water sport holidays in a non-commercialised environment and active travellers enjoy the island’s world-class scuba-diving, snorkelling, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and sport fishing. 

OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg is ideally located as a transit airport for Airlink’s partner airlines’ flights from Southern Africa, Americas, UK, Europe and Asia to connect with Airlink’s flights to Madagascar.

The service will re-commence on June 25 with a once-weekly return flight on Sundays.  Airlink currently operates three flights weekly between Johannesburg and Antananarivo, which will increase to a daily service as demand permits.   

 Flight schedule from June 25

4Z 246 departs Johannesburg at 09h10 and arrives in Nosy Be at 13h40 on Sundays.

4Z 247 departs Nosy Be at 14h25 and arrives in Johannesburg at 17h10 on Sundays.

The name Nosy Be is Malagasy for ‘Big Island’.