Independent SA and regional carrier, Airlink, and pan-South American airline LATAM have signed an interline agreement.

This means that when LATAM Brazil re-starts its flights in September after a three-year hiatus, the agreement will give LATAM’s passengers seamless access to over 40 destinations both in South Africa and further afield in Africa.

At this time, the interline agreement is not reciprocal, meaning LATAM may sell Airlink sectors, but Airlink may not sell LATAM sectors.

The South American carrier starts three flights a week between São Paulo and Johannesburg with its inaugural flight on September 2.

The flight time between Brazil and South Africa will be nine hours and the LATAM flights will be operated with a Boeing 787-900 aircraft, accommodating 300 passengers  in a three-class configuration – 30 in business class, 57 in premium economy and 213 in economy.

Airlink CEO and MD, Rodger Foster, said: “Airlink is very proud of this partnership with LATAM as it enables connectivity between Latin America and the whole of Southern Africa, creating wonderful leisure and corporate opportunities.”

Aline Mafra, Director of Sales and Marketing at LATAM Brazil, said the agreement would make LATAM’s flights to South Africa even more attractive, and “full of possibilities”. 

“The new connectivity options from Johannesburg expand the offer to LATAM customers, who will now be able to reach important destinations on the African continent such as Luanda, Nairobi and Cape Town” said Mafra.

LATAM flies to 55 destinations in Brazil and has direct flights to 21 international destinations (on 28 routes operated from São Paulo/Guarulhos, Rio de Janeiro/Galeão, Brasília, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Florianópolis and Fortaleza).

This year, LATAM will start the Foz do Iguaçu-Lima, Santiago-Melbourne, Guarulhos-Johannesburg and Guarulhos-Los Angeles routes, the latter being an early part of its JV with Delta Air Lines.