
Turkish Airlines and Airlink have signed a codeshare agreement
Under the new agreement, Turkish Airlines will place its 'TK' flight code on Airlink-operated flights, allowing smooth connections from Turkish Airlines' services into Cape Town and Johannesburg to a wide range of South African and regional destinations. Commenting on the agreement Turkish Airlines Chief Investment & Strategy Officer Levent Konukcu stated; 'As Turkish Airlines, we give importance to this cooperation with Airlink so as to enhance our connectivity in South Africa and the region. We aim to improve our partnership to maximize the travel opportunities offered to our guests. We believe that this partnership will not only bring benefits to both carriers from a commercial perspective but also improve the cultural and tourism relations between the two countries.'
Airlink CEO de Villiers Engelbrecht said: 'This collaboration with Turkish Airlines represents a significant opportunity to deepen ties between the two airlines. The agreement is a further endorsement of Airlink's brand, while for our respective customers, it means more convenient travel options, with world-class service and easier access to destinations across our combined and extensive route networks.'
With this collaboration, Turkish Airlines will not only advance its strategic growth in Africa but also further strengthen its regional presence while offering enhanced options for its guests.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Zawya
a few seconds ago
- Zawya
Fintech firms rush to raise equity in Hong Kong to tap crypto frenzy
HONG KONG/SHANGHAI - Fintech companies are rushing to raise equity in Hong Kong to fund expansions in cryptocurrencies, capitalising on investor fervour as the city starts accepting applications for stablecoin issuer licences on Friday. At least 10 Hong Kong-listed companies raised a total of more than $1.5 billion from share placements in July to be invested in areas including stablecoins, digital assets and blockchain-based payments, according to a Reuters calculation based on exchange filings. They include digital asset platform OSL Group, China's biggest retail cloud solution provider Dmall Inc and artificial intelligence giant SenseTime Group . The equity offerings had been snapped up by investors upbeat about stablecoins, which are cryptocurrencies pegged to assets such as the U.S. dollar. Hong Kong's stablecoin bill passed in May is taking effect on Friday as the Asian financial hub races the United States in setting up a regulated market for such tokens, seen as a key lubricant in the burgeoning digital economy. Before the bill passed, raising funds for stablecoin development in Hong Kong held less appeal for investors. "We're seeing a notable increase in fundraising activity linked to stablecoins and digital assets," said Anthony Pang at international law firm Baker McKenzie, which advised on Dmall's HK$388 million ($49.43 million) share placement last month. "The momentum in this space is real, and it's accelerating." OSL raised $300 million in late July to support global initiatives including development in stablecoins and a digital payment network. The equity raising was completed within three days after the company appointed Macquarie to help with the offering, and the bookbuilding - which attracted sovereign wealth funds and big hedge funds - took less than three hours. "Investor zeal toward cryptocurrencies and stablecoins was palpable," OSL Chief Financial Officer Ivan Wong said. An index tracking Hong Kong-listed stablecoin concept stocks has surged 65% this year, far outperforming the benchmark Hang Seng Index, which is up roughly 23%. Hong Kong's de facto central bank cautioned the public last week against "growing frothiness" and "excessive exuberance" due to the recent hype around stablecoins. PRIVATE MARKET The crypto exuberance has also spilled into the private equity and startup markets. "Venture capitalists are very interested in this area, and many are actively looking at such projects," said Liu Honglin, a Shanghai-based attorney at Man Kun Law Firm, who helped venture capital-backed digital payment service provider Kun raise more than $50 million in Hong Kong last month. "There's definitely a lot of excitement around stablecoin, but the sector is far from being frothy. It's just the start of a trend." JF SmartInvest Holdings raised HK$785 million last month to invest in Real World Assets (RWA), a term used for digital tokens that represent traditional assets such as stocks and commodities. Chinese AI giant SenseTime raised HK$2.5 billion and will use part of the proceeds to explore areas such as blockchain, RWA and stablecoins. Other companies that tapped the crypto craze include ZA Online, Crypto Flow Technology and Easou Tech. Traditional finance players such as custodians and investment managers want a piece of the action, so "interest in these topics, and fintech applications more generally, is set to continue," said Kishore Bhindi, a Hong Kong-based partner at law firm Linklaters. ($1 = 7.8499 Hong Kong dollars)


Zawya
a few seconds ago
- Zawya
South African rand drops to one-month low as tariff cloud hangs over interest rate decision
The South African rand was flat on Thursday, 31 July 2025 ahead of an interest-rate decision by the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb), as the country hopes to strike a trade agreement with the US before new US import tariffs take effect on 1 August. At 0729 GMT the rand traded at 17.9825 against the US dollar, near its previous close and its weakest in over a month. The risk-sensitive currency fell sharply on Wednesday, closing past 18 rand for the first time since 20 June 2025. South African goods face a 30% import duty in the US In exchange for reducing the rate, South Africa has offered to buy US liquefied natural gas, simplify rules for US poultry imports and invest $3.3bn in US industries including mining. The central bank is due to announce whether it will change its policy interest-rate later in the day. Economists polled expect a 25 basis-point cut. Andre Cilliers, currency strategist at TreasuryONE said if the bank lowers its main lending rate, it could be the last cut for the current cycle given the tariff unease. ETM Analytics said in a research note that "with such tariff uncertainty, it seems somewhat counterintuitive for the Sarb to be reducing interest rates". Investors will also look to June producer inflation and trade balance figures on Thursday for clues into the health of Africa's most industrialised economy. South Africa's benchmark 2035 government bond was weaker in early trade, with the yield rising one basis point to 9.82%. All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (


Zawya
28 minutes ago
- Zawya
South Africa: Durban to host global aviation workforce summit in August
Aviation leaders from around the world will gather in Durban from 12–14 August 2025 for the 3rd Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Global Summit, jointly hosted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA). The summit comes in response to aviation's growing need for a qualified, inclusive and future-ready workforce to support long-term growth and resilience across the sector. Millions needed to fill global aviation roles According to ICAO forecasts, by 2037 the sector will require more than 665,000 aircraft maintenance technicians, 554,000 pilots, 922,000 cabin crew members and 106,000 air traffic controllers. These figures represent only part of the broader workforce demands in the global aviation ecosystem. South Africa, through its role in the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) initiative, is expected to contribute to job creation across the continent, with nearly 600,000 jobs forecast to be generated in Africa alone. "South Africa, alongside its African partners, is dedicated to ensuring that Africa's unique concerns ranging from safety, security, infrastructure to environmental sustainability are addressed," says Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy. Coordinating global action The NGAP Summit will provide a platform for governments, industry players, training institutions and youth representatives to align on strategies to develop aviation talent pipelines. "I am certain that there will be a lot of insights and recommendations that the sector will take forward from the various 2025 NGAP Summit deliberations," says Poppy Khoza, director of civil aviation at SACAA. "With South Africa a leading voice in many ICAO platforms on global aviation matters, we also look forward to hosting a number of our fellow Member States in our country, and to see them collaborate on some ideas with their South African counterparts." Focus on innovation and inclusion Held under the theme , the summit will spotlight innovative training methods, technology-enabled learning, and sustainable career development, with a strong focus on youth and emerging markets. "Every State has an interest in securing the talent required for a safe and resilient future for international civil aviation. This is particularly vital for youth and communities in parts of the world where aviation can be a powerful catalyst for sustainable development," says Salvatore Sciacchitano, president of the ICAO Council. Building partnerships and policy frameworks The summit supports the implementation of ICAO's NGAP Strategy, which promotes advocacy, workforce forecasting, training, and outreach. It is also aligned with ICAO's Strategic Plan 2026–2050, which places human development at the centre of global aviation objectives. "The ICAO 2025 NGAP Summit will help ensure that no State is left behind in benefiting from the opportunities that aviation can offer," says Juan Carlos Salazar, ICAO secretary general. "ICAO is working with partners around the world to build the infrastructure, training capacity, and education partnerships needed to develop tomorrow's aviation professionals, especially in countries where investment in people can drive broader transformation." All rights reserved. © 2022. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (