Interlink Airlines has announced the temporary suspension of its services to and from Tshwane/Pretoria Wonderboom Airport.

An Interlink Boeing 737 aircraft encountered a bird strike on December 28 while operating a scheduled flight to Cape Town. The aircraft landed safely and at no stage were any passengers in danger but the airline’s strict maintenance and safety programme requires the company to withdraw the aircraft from service for a full maintenance check.

The check, which commenced early this week, will take approximately 14 days to complete. The airline has made the decision to suspend services until January 25, by which time Interlink will have an additional certified aircraft operating in and out of Wonderboom.

Passengers booked with Interlink can opt for a full refund or have their reservations moved to services at a later date.