Times Of Swaziland: Airlink to use Sikhuphe Airport - PM

Airlink to use Sikhuphe Airport - PM
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 SIBONGILE SUKATI on 04/03/2013 00:00:00


MBABANE — Swazi Airlink will have to use Sikhuphe International Airport as it
will be the country’s international airport.
This was said by the Prime Minister (PM) Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini last week
Thursday.
Dlamini in his written replies was responding to a question forwarded by one of
the editors during the Editors Forum Breakfast Meeting with the PM and was asked
that seemingly Swazi Airlink was reluctant to relocate to Sikhuphe.
The editors said this was because the Matsapha International Airport was close
to both Mbabane and Manzini, which was where the main source of passengers came
from.
Dlamini was asked if Swazi Airlink would continue to operate from Matsapha.
"Swazi Airlink will have to use Sikhuphe as it will be our international
airport," said Dlamini.
He said discussions were still underway on how the Matsapha airport would be
used.
In May 2011 Swazi Airlink launched a new 37- seater aircraft which now only
takes around 35 minutes from Matsapha to OR Tambo International Airport where
previously the trip would take between 45-50 minutes.
It could not be established how long a flight to Johannesburg from Sikhuphe or
vice versa would take. The partnership between government and Swazi Airlink
started in 1999.
The PM further said government was expecting the first flight in Sikhuphe to
take place in August or September 2013. He said the construction of the airport
was almost complete.
Dlamini said, however there were still tests pending before licensing by the
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
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comments:
- I think by the way things are, the whole Sikhuphe airport issue was a mistake
from the beginning, especially for the fact that it is an inconvenience for not
only the employees but for the customers too. It would have been better if they
located it not mot than 30km from the current Matsapha airport. In short, the
customer's interest was not considered. someone has let us down!!!
March 4, 2013, 6:32 am, MP