Qatar Airways Acquires 25% Stake in Airlink, Strengthening African Presence

Qatar Airways Group has announced a significant move in its expansion strategy by acquiring a 25% stake in Airlink, Southern Africa’s leading independent regional airline.

This investment marks a pivotal step in the multi-award-winning airline’s ongoing efforts to bolster its presence across the African continent. Airlink, which serves over 45 destinations in 15 African countries, will see its code-sharing partnership with Qatar Airways significantly enhanced through this acquisition.

This deal is set to accelerate Qatar Airways’ growth strategy in Africa, reinforcing its role as a vital contributor to the continent’s economic development.

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Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Airways Group, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership: “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, agile, and financially robust company governed by sound principles but also in Africa as a whole. We are excited to help unlock the continent’s vast potential.”

Rodger Foster, Chief Executive of Airlink, welcomed the investment, noting its significance: “Having Qatar Airways as an equity partner is a powerful endorsement of Airlink and reinforces our belief in the markets we currently serve and those we plan to expand into.

This partnership will enhance our growth by creating efficiencies of scale, increasing our capacity, and expanding our marketing reach. It will also strengthen the existing airline partnerships that Airlink has developed over the years.”

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The new partnership will align the loyalty programs of both airlines, integrating Qatar Airways Privilege Club with Airlink Skybucks, thereby offering enhanced benefits to frequent flyers of both carriers.

Qatar Airways has been actively expanding its African network, currently operating flights to 29 destinations across the continent. Since December 2020, the airline has introduced new destinations including Abidjan, Abuja, Accra, Harare, Kano, Luanda, Lusaka, and Port Harcourt, and resumed services to Cairo and Alexandria.