Best Airlines in Lesotho 2024

Best Airlines in Lesotho

Lesotho, known as the “Kingdom in the Sky,” offers a unique and captivating travel experience with a variety of reasons to visit. Lesotho boasts dramatic landscapes with soaring peaks, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls, and snow-capped mountains, making it a paradise for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Despite its size, Lesotho is home to a diverse range of wildlife, stunning national parks, and unique flora and fauna, providing opportunities for wildlife spotting and nature exploration. Now lets look at some of the airlines in Lesotho.

Lesotho Airways

Lesotho Airways was the national airline of Lesotho till 1997. Its base is at Moshoeshoe International Airport in Maseru.The airline was wholly owned by the Basotho government until 1996, when it was privatized and sold to a South African consortium.

Unfortunately, Lesotho Airways ceased operations in 1996 and was later acquired by Rossair Contracts Private Ltd.The airline’s assets were taken over by Air Lesotho, which was formed in 1997.

Fleet Details	Number of Aircraft
Boeing 707-326C	1
De Havilland Canada DHC - 6 Twin Otter	2
Fairchild Hiller FH-227	-
Beechcraft 1900	-

Destinations covered

As of today, October 26, 2023, Lesotho Airways is no longer operational. It ceased operations in 1997 due to financial difficulties. Therefore, unfortunately, it’s not possible to provide a list of all the city names where it used to fly.However, during its operation between 1979 and 1997, Lesotho Airways served:

Domestic – Maseru, Matlama, Mokhotlong, Qacha’s Nek, Sekake and Thaba Tseka.

International – Johannesburg, Maputo, Gaborone and Mbabana.

Airlink

Airlink is a privately-owned airline that operates flights to and from Lesotho. The airline was established in 1992 and started operations in January 2006. Airlink has its headquarters in Johannesburg.

Fleet Details	Speed
Jetstream 4100	480 km/hr
Embraer 140	833 km/hr
Embraer 135	833 km/hr
Embraer E170 E - Jet	870 km/hr
Embraer E190 E-Jet	870 km/hr
Embraer E195 E-Jet	829 km/hr

Destinations covered

Domestic – Maseru,

International – Luanda, Gaborone, Maun, Kasane, Lubumbashi, Nairobi, Antananarivo, Nosy Be, Blantyre, Lilongwe, Beira, Maputo, Nampula, Pemba, Tete, Vilanculos, Walvis Bay, Windhoek, Jamestown, Manzini, Dar es Salaam, Livingstone, Lusaka, Ndola, Bulawayo, Harare, Victoria Falls, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, East London, George, Hoedspruit, Johannesburg, Kimberley, Mthatha, Nelspruit and Peitermaritzburg.

Mango Airlines

Mango Airlines was founded in 2006 and started operations on November 15th 2006. The airline ceased operations on 27th July 2021.

Fleet Details	Number of Aircraft
Airbus A320 - 200	1
Boeing 737 - 300	2
Boeing 737 - 800	16

Destinations covered

Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, George, Bloemfontein, Kimberley and Pilanesberg.

Conclusion

If you’re prioritizing budget travel with extensive route options, Airlink would be the recommended choice. It offers a balance of affordability, diverse destinations, reliable service, and positive passenger feedback, making it a suitable option for travelers looking for a hassle-free flying experience within and beyond Lesotho.