Maseru, Nov.06 — With festive season just around the corner, the South Africa based regional airline, Airlink has temporarily halted flights between Johannesburg and the Lesotho due to safety issues at the country’s only airport.
In its statement issued on Wednesday evening, South Africa Airlink, cited that “lack of serviceable fire and rescue equipment at Moshoeshoe I International Airport” was cause for the suspension of daily flights between the two cities.
It added that normal services will resume as soon as the airport operator has restored the regulated emergency response capability, in line with international civil aviation requirements for airports handling aircraft that are typically used for scheduled air services.
This latest suspension of flights is nothing new to Moshoeshoe I International Airport.
In December last year, Airlink announced a similar temporary cessation of daily flights between Johannesburg and Maseru, for the exact same reason: “unavailability of fire and rescue services and equipment at Moshoeshoe I International Airport”.
The airport plays a vital role in connecting the country to regional and international destinations. Despite its importance, Moshoeshoe I airport has faced challenges related to outdated infrastructure, limited capacity, and the need to comply with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards. These challenges have necessitated regular upgrades and renovations to ensure safety, efficiency, and competitiveness in the aviation sector.
Meanwhile the estimated costs for the rehabilitation of Moshoeshoe I International Airport have varied significantly across different proposals and reports, ranging from M700 million to M5 billion for different project phases and scopes.
M108.5 million was the allocation for the project in 2025/2026 financial year, which was expected to cover work until the end of that period, with a remaining balance for equipment installation in the next financial year.
The project has faced delays and controversies regarding budgeting and scope changes. Funding has been sought from various international partners, including the European Investment Bank (EIB), Kuwait Fund, OPEC, Abu Dhabi, and Arab development funds.
Moshoeshoe I International Airport is the only International airport and is named after the founder of the Basotho nation. It was commissioned in 1985 and serves as the secondary gateway to Lesotho after road transport access.
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