Chicago’s Meigs Field in 1974 to provide scheduled commuter roundtrips to Gary, Indiana. Operations continue into 1975.
RYUKYU AIR COMMUTER COMPANY, LTD.: 306-1 Kagamizu, Naha, Okinawa, 901 01, Japan; Phone 81 (98) 858-9646; Fax 81 (98) 858-6560; Code R66; Year Founded 1990.
A wholly owned subsidiary of Japan TransOcean Air, Ltd., RAC is established at Naha Air Terminal at Okinawa’s Naha City in 1990 to provide scheduled flights to Kerama and the Aguni Islands. President Masayoshi Asato and Managing Director Tetsuji Tamanaha’s initial fleet comprises 2 Pilatus-Britten-Norman BN-2 Islanders.
In 1991, four more Twin Otters are chartered from Japan TransOcean Air, Ltd. These help to ensure a regular feed for the larger carrier at Naha. Operations continue apace in 1992-1995.
In February 1996, three de Havilland Canada DHC-8-100s are ordered. Ryukyu is the first Japanese customer for the aircraft type.
The first Dash-8s arrive in early 1997 and begin to replace the Southwest Twin Otters. Scheduled and charter flights to resort destinations in the Ryukyu Islands continue.
Service is maintained in 1998. During the first quarter of 1999, a $12.5-million order is placed with Bombardier Aerospace for a DHC-8Q-100.
A total of 32 workers are employed at the beginning of 2000.
RZHEVKA AIR ENTERPRISE: Azhevka Airport, Kuvalevu, Leningrad, Region, 188679, Russia; Phone 7 (812) 527-3600; Fax 7 (812) 527-3982; Code RZV; Year Founded 1992. The Rzhevka division of the now-defunct Aeroflot Soviet Airlines is reformed into a joint stock company in 1992 to continue the delivery of regional and domestic passenger and cargo charters. Valeri Tiukin is director general and he begins revenue flights with an all-Antonov fleet of 2 each An-24s and An-26s, 5 An-30s, and 7 An-2 biplanes. Rotary-wing work is also performed with a small fleet of Mil helicopters.
Service is maintained during the remainder of the decade. At the beginning of 2000, the fleet includes 2 An-26s and the original 5 An-30s.
SA AIRLINK (PTY.), LTD.: P. O. Box 7529, Bonaero Park, 1622, South Africa; Phone 27 (11) 973-2941 Fax 27 (11) 973-2501; Http://www. saairlink; Code 4Z; Year Founded 1995. Three-year-old Airlink Airline (Pty.), Ltd. receives a corporate makeover in 1995 when it enters into a marketing and feeder arrangement with South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. Shareholding remains divided between the joint managing directors, Barrie J. Webb and Roger A. Foster, plus Osprey Aviation Holdings. Richard Charter is chairman and the workforce totals 352.
Ten British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 41s are delivered between February and September, replacing four Avions de Transport Regional ATR42-320s. Two Dornier 228-212s are operated through the end of the year, while a Swearingen Metro II soldiers on. During July, Johannesburg Jan Smuts Airport is renamed Johannesburg International Airport.
While on a February 10, 1996 training flight from Johannesburg, a Swearingen Metro II, with two crew touches down before the landing gear is fully extended; although the aircraft is nearly destroyed, there are no fatalities.
Following a June announcement, the regional begins dedicated Jetstream 41 on behalf of the KwaZulu Natal government.
On February 17, 1997, the company joins with SA Express Airways (Pty.), Ltd. and South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. in a three-way alliance. According to the accompanying press release, the pact is designed to provide an integrated national aviation system that can service all routes, ranging from entry level to the national hubs, and will offer national over-border air transportation. Although the three airlines will continue to operate independently, there will be uniformity in their activities in terms of corporate appearance, ticketing, and check-in procedures.
In December, the company purchases 100% control of Metavia Airlines (Pty.), Ltd., but allows its new subsidiary to continue operations under its current name.
By 1998, the fleet includes 10 British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 41s and 2 Fairchild Dornier 328-110s. Destinations visited include Bloemfontein, Durban, Johannesburg, Margate, Mmabatho, Nelspruit, Phalaborwa, Pietersburg, Pietermaritzburg, Plettenberg Bay, Sun City, and Umtata.
During the fall, managers from the Namibian new entrant Kalahari Express Airline (Pty.), Ltd. and those from the established Air Namibia (Pty.), Ltd. reach an understanding and agree to work in tandem much as South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. does with SA Express Airways (Pty.), Ltd. Start-up arrangements between the two, plus SA Airlink, are sorted out during the remainder of the year, with the South African airline purchasing 49% equity in October. Andre Compion is appointed the new Kalahari managing director.
On January 7, 1999, in a further effort to transform itself into a viable carrier, Air Namibia (Pty.), Ltd. signs an agreement in Johannesburg with South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. Under terms of the document, the two carriers pledge to explore such joint business opportunities as combined customer services, linked frequent flyer programs, and code-sharing. The arrangement is extended to Kalahari Express Airline (Pty.), Ltd., SA Express Airways (Pty.), Ltd., and SA Airlink.
On January 25, SA Air Link purchases 43% of Royal Swazi Airways Corporation, Ltd. and passes word to LAM Mozambique Airlines, S. A. that it wishes the Swazi Fokker 100, chartered in October 1996, returned by March.
It is announced on March 15 that Kalahari Express Airline (Pty.),
Ltd. will initiate daily flights between Windhoek, Johannesburg, and Cape Town by midyear. The services will complement rather than compete with the frequencies offered on those routes by Air Namibia (Pty.), Ltd. or SA Airlink.
Royal Swazi Airways Corporation, Ltd. is renamed Swaziland Airline, Ltd. on April 12. After allegedly insulting a ground worker with the racial slur “kaffir” on April 23, a female pilot is fired. The South Africa Sunday Times reports two days later that the captain has appealed her termination. The new schedule of Swaziland Airlink, Ltd. services between Manzini and Johannesburg begins on July 11.
South African Airways (Pty.), Ltd. (SAA) and its affiliates now engage in a fare war with Comair (Pty.), Ltd., backed by British Airways, Ltd. (2), Nationwide Air Charter (Pty.), Ltd., supported by Sabena Belgian World Airlines, S. A., and Sun Air (Pty.), Ltd. On August 1, SA Airlink CEO Rodger Foster, who is also serving as chairman of the Airlines Association of South Africa, warns that the market is hopelessly over-traded and suggests that one or more of the smaller players will soon fail. Loss-making Sun Air (Pty.), Ltd. is purchased by SAA on August 13 and shut down 72 hours later.
Kalahari Express Airline (Pty.), Ltd. F.28-3000 revenue flights are finally inaugurated on October 31, linking the company’s base at Windhoek with Johannesburg and Cape Town.
At the beginning of 2000, SA Airlink operates a fleet of 16 Jetstream 41s and operates over 3,000 flights (80% business, 20% leisure) per month to destinations in Southern Africa. The BAe fleet is the third largest of its type in the world.
In order to launch a massive tourism drive, the company takes over the airport at Phalaborwa from Foskor in April for an undisclosed amount. The facility, previously known as Van Eck Airport, is renamed Kruger Gateway Airport and is operated by a new SA Airlink subsidiary, The Regional Airports Company (Pty.), Ltd. It is anticipated that the number of J-41 roundtrips currently offered to Phalaborwa from Johannesburg will shortly be increased from the current thrice-daily offering.
The schedule of four return flights between Johannesburg and Pieters-burg and three on Sundays is enhanced on July 1 with the introduction of once-on-Saturdays roundtrips.
New daily roundtrips between Phalaborwa and Malelane commence at the end of October.
The return route between Cape Town and Kimberley, previously operated by SA Express Airways (Pty.), Ltd. with de Havilland Canada DHC-8-314s seven times a week is turned over SA Airlink on November 1. The smaller airline now increases the service to twice weekdays and once on Saturdays and Sundays.
On November 20, orders valued at R2.5 billion are placed for 30 Em-braer ERJ-145s, with options on 30 others, some of which may later be converted to ERJ-170s. The first four are due for delivery in 2001 and will be placed into service on routes from Johannesburg to Bulawayo, Ndola, Blantyre, Lilongwa, and Livingstone.
To avoid a cessation of service into Kruger National Park from the south while the government repairs the airport at Melspruit between November 20 and December 16, SA Airlink itself expends R0.5 million to upgrade the airport at Malelane, 75 km. S of Nelspruit. The facility is then employed as an alternative landing site.
The scheduled route between Johannesburg and Mafikeng is closed on December 15.
World History
