Airlink’s new plane has that new car smell … and it’s quiet

2026-03-19 - 08:50

There’s nothing quite like a new car smell, and who would have thought a passenger jet could offer that same inviting, step-inside feeling. Airlink’s brand new Embraer E2 does The aircraft is a refinement of its Embraer E195 predecessor, with 136 single-class seats in the back. The business class configuration is still on the way. But even in economy only seating, it feels like you’re travelling business class. It’s a far cry from some of the sardine cans that operate locally, where well over 180 people can be crammed into six across rows. Sitting between two strangers on a two-hour flight from Joburg to Cape Town is not the intimate fun it sounds like. Neither is feeling like you’re in a permanent brace position where the slightest bit of turbulence will see your knees knocking out your front teeth. Enough legroom not to feel cramped Flying somewhere is supposed to provide a measure of deliverance, especially locally, from ringing phones and pinging WhatsApp messages. There’s no internet on domestic flights, and that’s a blessing. So too is the legroom on the E2. I embarked in Joburg with a full set of teeth and deplaned in Durban without needing a dentist. Lekker legroom on board. Picture: Supplied The passenger experience has really been enhanced on board. The larger windows, trademark Embraer, have remained, and it really adds to the feeling of breathability. The seats are relatively comfortable compared to some of the planks that budget and other airlines the world over offer up in cattle class. Beyond the pitch, it feels as if the seats are wider too, unless that’s just a bit of girth I’ve lost. Takeoff is quiet, and you can actually engage in audible conversation at full thrust. Captain Chris Cook piloted the flight I was on, and he, too, is full of praise for the E2. “The Embraer E-1 is a great machine, but with this aircraft, Embraer pretty much went from the nose through to the tail and redesigned it,” he said. “We have an exceptionally modern, sophisticated machine here.” From a pilot’s perspective, he said the aircraft stood out as a hands-on flying machine despite its advanced automation. “It is such a great machine to fly. It’s rewarding for pilots,” he said. “She’s got a whole new, all-new fly-by-wire logic. They call it a closed-loop fly-by-wire. That means every primary flight control is electronically managed and constantly checking itself,” he said. The new Embraer E2. Picture: Supplied Pilots are loving the aircraft Yet he landed the flight I was on manually because it’s that lekker to operate, he said. “Most of the approach into Durban was being hand flown, even in the gusty, windy conditions here.” he said and added that the high-tech goodies did not come at the expense of pilot awareness. He added that everything runs like precision clockwork. ALSO READ: Beginner’s guide to camping Even from the flight deck, the flying experience, Captain Cook said, was quieter. “You get the whale howl from the engines, but that’s about it. Even from the flight deck, the engine spool-up could be hard to hear at times.” Service at either end of the aircraft was just as great. Joburg’s bag drop was pleasant, and the agent took the time, as was custom in the earlier days of air travel, to read my name on the reservation and call me by it. Boarding was swift, and, again, because it’s not a sardine-can run, there was actual overhead stowage space available. Disembarking is usually a bizarre bunfight, but, because fewer people need to exit each row, elbowing and toe-stepping is kept to a minimum. Airlink staff took the time to greet and welcome passengers. Thankfully, cabin crew-typical thank you bye-bye one-liners on repeat while disengaged were avoided on my flight. They made eye contact with each passenger. Cheers to that, and cheers to flying that still has old school manners. NOW READ: A slice of bush heaven that delivers more than just wildlife