Scores reflect the Overall AI Score for each category
Based on recent customer reviews, Airlink is described by travellers as an airline where isolated pockets of excellent frontline care sit alongside deep, recurring operational failures. Customers consistently report delays with little explanation, mishandled or missing baggage, and punitive change and refund charges. A recurring theme is that named staff members occasionally rescue the experience, but process, pricing and communication breakdowns dominate what passengers describe.
Top Strengths:
- •Customer Service & Travel Expertise: Customer Service & Travel Expertise (1.7) is the least damaged theme. Named individuals such as Tema Mashiane, Mbali, Sandra and Shiba are praised for patience and initiative, and special assistance passengers report dignified, attentive handling at smaller stations.
TrustIndex
2
NPS Score
-75
Recommended: Unlikely
Nov '25 - Oct '26
Frequently Asked Questions About Airlink
What do customers say about Airlink?
Based on recent customer reviews, Airlink is described by travellers as an airline where isolated pockets of excellent frontline care sit alongside deep, recurring operational failures. Customers consistently report delays with little explanation, mishandled or missing baggage, and punitive change and refund charges. A recurring theme is that named staff members occasionally rescue the experience, but process, pricing and communication breakdowns dominate what passengers describe.
What is Airlink's biggest strength?
Airlink's biggest strength, according to Hellopeter's AI analysis, is Customer Service & Travel Expertise. Customer Service & Travel Expertise (1.7) is the least damaged theme. Named individuals such as Tema Mashiane, Mbali, Sandra and Shiba are praised for patience and initiative, and special assistance passengers report dignified, attentive handling at smaller stations.
What are the most common complaints about Airlink?
The most common complaint about Airlink, based on Hellopeter's AI analysis of recent customer reviews, is Communication & Complaint Resolution. Communication & Complaint Resolution (1.2) is a persistent pain point. Passengers describe silence during delays, weather explanations they dispute, complaint forms that cannot be submitted, and emails answered only by automated replies weeks later.
Is Airlink trustworthy?
Airlink has a TrustIndex of 2 out of 10 on Hellopeter, based on 104 reviews in the last 12 months. Hellopeter has tracked Airlink across 624 total reviews. How is the TrustIndex calculated? →
Recent reviews (104)
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Used this business recently? Share your experience to help others decide.
Share Your Experience1 reviews | Active since Oct 2026
Attempted *****ing
I flew from OR Tambo to Durban on the 5th of October. My suitcase was tampered with. Zip broken. Inside compartments including my toiletry bag were left open. This was reported in Durban, forms filled in but still no response from the airline. I feel violated and invaded. I would give zero stars
1 reviews | Active since Oct 2026
Attempted *****ing
I flew from OR Tambo to Durban on the 5th of October. My suitcase was tampered with. Zip broken. Inside compartments including my toiletry bag were left open. This was reported in Durban, forms filled in but still no response from the airline. I feel violated and invaded. I would give zero stars
1 reviews | Active since Sept 2026
Airlink had a delayed flight to Johannesburg and my husband had to pay for the accommodation (Bryan)...
Airlink had a delayed flight to Johannesburg and my husband had to pay for the accommodation (Bryan) which I have sent many *** asking for a refund and there has been no response. Why are they not taking it seriously? It is almost 2 weeks.
1 reviews | Active since Sept 2026
Airlink had a delayed flight to Johannesburg and my husband had to pay for the accommodation (Bryan)...
Airlink had a delayed flight to Johannesburg and my husband had to pay for the accommodation (Bryan) which I have sent many *** asking for a refund and there has been no response. Why are they not taking it seriously? It is almost 2 weeks.
1 reviews | Active since Sept 2013
My bag was unlocked and rifled through at OR Tambo from Airlink Flight
I took a flight yesterday (7 Sep 2026) from Pietermaritzburg to OR Tambo (flight 4Z744 at 18h20). When I got home I realised my bag had been opened. It has a combination lock on the bag and it was on the 'correct' numbers. The inside compartments were unzipped and they had been through my things. I dont think anything is missing (not 100% sure). There were no valuables or electronics etc so they clearly didnt want clothes. I will never fly again without having my bag plastic wrapped. What I dont understand is why the guilty parties didnt zip/lock the bag again, and I would have been none the wiser. Its so blatant for people to see and report, and they continue to do it. Therefore, I would assume that this happens often, as they are clearly in a rush to get through as many bags as possible. My bag has previously (same flight from Pmb to Jhb) also been on the correct number combination when I collected it from the carousal at OR Tambo. At the time, I assumed that I hadnt scrambled the numbers although I was pretty sure. I now see this is what likely happened. Thats twice (that I know of) within about a year. I carried a quite worthless item with me on hand luggage which wouldve been ****** if in my packed luggage as it was in a box. It was (is) something from my deceased father. Important to me, meaningless and worthless to a *****. I find it despicable that people do this so blatantly. Although nothing was ****** I feel violated knowing someone went through my things. I assume there are security cameras to watch this kind of thing. I know the fault technically lies with Airlink although I assume some staff at the OR Tambo Airport who have access to the bags are perhaps not Airlink employees. So I will post this on more than one site. I hope that people see this and at the very least get their luggage wrapped every single time they fly, and never pack valuables. Typical South Africa!!!
1 reviews | Active since Sept 2013
My bag was unlocked and rifled through at OR Tambo from Airlink Flight
I took a flight yesterday (7 Sep 2026) from Pietermaritzburg to OR Tambo (flight 4Z744 at 18h20). When I got home I realised my bag had been opened. It has a combination lock on the bag and it was on the 'correct' numbers. The inside compartments were unzipped and they had been through my things. I dont think anything is missing (not 100% sure). There were no valuables or electronics etc so they clearly didnt want clothes. I will never fly again without having my bag plastic wrapped. What I dont understand is why the guilty parties didnt zip/lock the bag again, and I would have been none the wiser. Its so blatant for people to see and report, and they continue to do it. Therefore, I would assume that this happens often, as they are clearly in a rush to get through as many bags as possible. My bag has previously (same flight from Pmb to Jhb) also been on the correct number combination when I collected it from the carousal at OR Tambo. At the time, I assumed that I hadnt scrambled the numbers although I was pretty sure. I now see this is what likely happened. Thats twice (that I know of) within about a year. I carried a quite worthless item with me on hand luggage which wouldve been ****** if in my packed luggage as it was in a box. It was (is) something from my deceased father. Important to me, meaningless and worthless to a *****. I find it despicable that people do this so blatantly. Although nothing was ****** I feel violated knowing someone went through my things. I assume there are security cameras to watch this kind of thing. I know the fault technically lies with Airlink although I assume some staff at the OR Tambo Airport who have access to the bags are perhaps not Airlink employees. So I will post this on more than one site. I hope that people see this and at the very least get their luggage wrapped every single time they fly, and never pack valuables. Typical South Africa!!!
1 reviews | Active since Sept 2026
Airlink Unfair Business Practice
I would like to help me with this Booked a ticket from CPT to JHB and had to cancel. Got an credit for odd R6000 Now I want to fly to PE which is odd R2300 return They saying I may not use it for me and someone else. I have to use the full credit, even though it's less than half the credit I also have to pay a penalty of R500 So I must pay in effect R6500 for a ticket which is R2300 Surely this is unfair business practice, how can they do this. How many people over a year will loose money like this and they just getting the money for free and we must just accept it It will be millions over a year I really don't think this a fair practice I don't want the money back I just want to use what I paid for already Thank you Neels
1 reviews | Active since Sept 2026
Airlink Unfair Business Practice
I would like to help me with this Booked a ticket from CPT to JHB and had to cancel. Got an credit for odd R6000 Now I want to fly to PE which is odd R2300 return They saying I may not use it for me and someone else. I have to use the full credit, even though it's less than half the credit I also have to pay a penalty of R500 So I must pay in effect R6500 for a ticket which is R2300 Surely this is unfair business practice, how can they do this. How many people over a year will loose money like this and they just getting the money for free and we must just accept it It will be millions over a year I really don't think this a fair practice I don't want the money back I just want to use what I paid for already Thank you Neels
1 reviews | Active since Oct 2012
Don’t count on getting your refund from them anytime soon
Pathetic service from the refunds Department. Seems the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. I requested a refund of a ticket that was on hold on 7 August 2026. When I contacted the refunds desk on 31 August I was advised by a lady called Madeleine that she would ask her ladies to process the refund immediately and apologised for the delay in attending to my request. So it seems that my request had been sent and sat in someone’s mailbox for the whole time unattended. I was sent a refund notification dated 31 August 2026 clearly stating the date of refund being the same date. I have not received the refund as yet. When I phoned the refund number today and asked to speak to Madeleine again about this refund, she couldn’t understand why I hadn’t received the refund either and spoke to one of her colleagues presumably from finance and came back with some story about the bank having to making a manual payment and that this would take another 10 working days. Really in this day of digital banking? As a former bank employee I can tell you that this is absolute nonsense. This Airline obviously is too busy flying over rugby stadiums and believes in telling its customers equally high flying stories when it comes to giving back money. Lesson learnt. Choose another airline and fly from Durban rather.
1 reviews | Active since Oct 2012
Don’t count on getting your refund from them anytime soon
Pathetic service from the refunds Department. Seems the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. I requested a refund of a ticket that was on hold on 7 August 2026. When I contacted the refunds desk on 31 August I was advised by a lady called Madeleine that she would ask her ladies to process the refund immediately and apologised for the delay in attending to my request. So it seems that my request had been sent and sat in someone’s mailbox for the whole time unattended. I was sent a refund notification dated 31 August 2026 clearly stating the date of refund being the same date. I have not received the refund as yet. When I phoned the refund number today and asked to speak to Madeleine again about this refund, she couldn’t understand why I hadn’t received the refund either and spoke to one of her colleagues presumably from finance and came back with some story about the bank having to making a manual payment and that this would take another 10 working days. Really in this day of digital banking? As a former bank employee I can tell you that this is absolute nonsense. This Airline obviously is too busy flying over rugby stadiums and believes in telling its customers equally high flying stories when it comes to giving back money. Lesson learnt. Choose another airline and fly from Durban rather.
1 reviews | Active since May 2010
Clarissa from Airlink Kimberley must be investigated
Clarissa at Kimberley Airport is rude, uncompassionate and not cut out for this business - she needs to be brought to book. Made no effort to assist a dire matter and refused to get me on my flight or make alternate arrangements. She must be investigated.
1 reviews | Active since May 2010
Clarissa from Airlink Kimberley must be investigated
Clarissa at Kimberley Airport is rude, uncompassionate and not cut out for this business - she needs to be brought to book. Made no effort to assist a dire matter and refused to get me on my flight or make alternate arrangements. She must be investigated.
1 reviews | Active since Dec 2019
***, what the fog. We hate this <3
Hey Airlink Pietermaritzburg 👋🏼 So… I’ll be late for my meeting. AGAIN. THANKS, will you be paying my bonus? I’ll be missing some KPI’s if I don’t make this meeting. At this point, I have a genuine question: what exactly is the purpose of having an airport in Pietermaritzburg? Because every time there’s mist, the entire aviation industry seems to collectively discover that visibility is required for flying. Revolutionary stuff. Guys. It’s Pietermaritzburg. It gets misty. This is not an unexpected natural disaster. The mist has been here before. She lives here. She pays rent. I book the EARLY flight specifically so I can arrive on time for work. I’ve done my part. I’ve woken up at an ungodly hour. I’ve paid for the ticket. I’ve arrived at the airport. I’ve sat there half asleep. And yet somehow, the concept of a flight actually leaving before 8am remains aspirational. I genuinely wonder how many times my company is going to accept: “Sorry I’m late, my flight couldn’t take off because there was mist.” before HR politely suggests I start driving instead. Maybe — and I’m just spitballing here — MAKE A PLAN. You know, things like: ✈️ If you know early morning flights are regularly cancelled/delayed because of mist… STOP PRETENDING 7am FLIGHTS ARE A THING. 🌫️ If the weather at 7am is consistently unsuitable for take-off… perhaps factor that into the schedule? 🛫 Upgrade the runway/infrastructure if that’s what’s required. 📅 Or simply schedule flights from PMB after 8am and save everyone the morning ritual of arriving at the airport just to discover that Mother Nature has cancelled your itinerary. Because booking a 6am flight from Pietermaritzburg and then being told, “Sorry, there’s mist,” is beginning to feel less like air travel and more like a subscription service to disappointment. And before anyone says, “But it’s weather!” yes. We know. That’s literally the point. It’s KZN. We have mist. We have rain. We have sunshine five minutes later. None of this is new information. I just want to get to my meeting on time. That’s it. I don’t need a miracle. I don’t need a private jet. I need the 6am flight I paid for to actually behave like a 6am flight. Anyway, see you at the meeting… whenever Pietermaritzburg Airport decides visibility is acceptable. 🙃 Airlink: taking off when the weather permits. My career: apparently taking off when Airlink permits.
1 reviews | Active since Dec 2019
***, what the fog. We hate this <3
Hey Airlink Pietermaritzburg 👋🏼 So… I’ll be late for my meeting. AGAIN. THANKS, will you be paying my bonus? I’ll be missing some KPI’s if I don’t make this meeting. At this point, I have a genuine question: what exactly is the purpose of having an airport in Pietermaritzburg? Because every time there’s mist, the entire aviation industry seems to collectively discover that visibility is required for flying. Revolutionary stuff. Guys. It’s Pietermaritzburg. It gets misty. This is not an unexpected natural disaster. The mist has been here before. She lives here. She pays rent. I book the EARLY flight specifically so I can arrive on time for work. I’ve done my part. I’ve woken up at an ungodly hour. I’ve paid for the ticket. I’ve arrived at the airport. I’ve sat there half asleep. And yet somehow, the concept of a flight actually leaving before 8am remains aspirational. I genuinely wonder how many times my company is going to accept: “Sorry I’m late, my flight couldn’t take off because there was mist.” before HR politely suggests I start driving instead. Maybe — and I’m just spitballing here — MAKE A PLAN. You know, things like: ✈️ If you know early morning flights are regularly cancelled/delayed because of mist… STOP PRETENDING 7am FLIGHTS ARE A THING. 🌫️ If the weather at 7am is consistently unsuitable for take-off… perhaps factor that into the schedule? 🛫 Upgrade the runway/infrastructure if that’s what’s required. 📅 Or simply schedule flights from PMB after 8am and save everyone the morning ritual of arriving at the airport just to discover that Mother Nature has cancelled your itinerary. Because booking a 6am flight from Pietermaritzburg and then being told, “Sorry, there’s mist,” is beginning to feel less like air travel and more like a subscription service to disappointment. And before anyone says, “But it’s weather!” yes. We know. That’s literally the point. It’s KZN. We have mist. We have rain. We have sunshine five minutes later. None of this is new information. I just want to get to my meeting on time. That’s it. I don’t need a miracle. I don’t need a private jet. I need the 6am flight I paid for to actually behave like a 6am flight. Anyway, see you at the meeting… whenever Pietermaritzburg Airport decides visibility is acceptable. 🙃 Airlink: taking off when the weather permits. My career: apparently taking off when Airlink permits.