SOUTH AFRICA AND FLIGHT UPDATES
SOUTH AFRICA REVISED LIST OF HIGH-RISK COUNTRIES
South Africa’s borders re-opened on 01 October 2020 for international travel, except for leisure travellers from a group of countries classed ‘high-risk’. Only those travelling on diplomatic visas or with proof of business activity may travel from high-risk countries to South Africa. Travellers from medium-risk and low-risk countries may travel to South Africa for any reason, and will not be placed into a mandatory quarantine on arrival.
The categorisation of high-risk countries has been reviewed. Please see below for the newly revised list of high-risk countries that cannot enter South Africa’s borders. This list has decreased significantly from the initial 57 countries to 22 countries.
The latest list of high-risk countries is:
| Argentina | Germany | Peru |
| Bangladesh | India | Philippines |
| Belgium | Indonesia | Russia |
| Brazil | Iran | Spain |
| Canada | Iraq | United Kingdom |
| Chile | Italy | USA |
| Colombia | Mexico | |
| France | Netherlands |
The list of these high-risk countries can also be found on the Home Affairs website www.dha.gov.za
Travellers must submit to a PCR test, less than 72 hours prior to boarding their flight from their country of departure. The test must be administered by a certified medical practitioner, who needs to issue a certificate clearly showing the name and signature of the practitioner. Should a traveller arrive without a certificate, an invalid certificate or presenting symptoms of COVID, they will be remanded into a mandatory 10-day quarantine at a government-approved facility, at their own expense.
All travellers visiting South Africa will be expected to abide by the regulations, which include the mandatory wearing of masks in public places at all times, practising social distancing in public spaces, regular washing or sanitising of hands and presenting a negative COVID-19 test result not older than 72 hours from the time of departure. Should a traveller display any COVID-19–related symptoms or have been in contact with an infected person(s), they will be expected to take a mandatory COVID-19 test. This test will be at the traveller’s cost. If the COVID-19 test comes back positive, the traveller will be subjected to a 10-day quarantine at a designated site at the traveller’s expense.
FLIGHT UPDATES
ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES UNVEILS COVID-19 GLOBAL INSURANCE COVER!
Ethiopian Airlines Group will cover the medical insurance including repatriation, evacuation and quarantine costs related to COVID-19 as of 01 October 2020 until 31 March 2021. The coverage is applicable on all Ethiopian’s international flights booked with the airline’s tickets.
The global cover dubbed Sheba Comfort is part of the airline’s extra security measures to protect passengers and ensure that they travel with peace of mind. The Sheba Comfort insurance scheme, introduced in collaboration with AXA Partners and Awash Insurance Company, is valid for 92 days for round trip and 31 days for a one-way trip.
VIRGIN ATLANTIC
Virgin Atlantic is set to restart flights from London Heathrow to Johannesburg from 18 October and Heathrow to Cape Town from 10 December 2020. The airline plans to operate four flights a week between Johannesburg and London Heathrow and to increase to a daily frequency by the end of the year. Flight VS450 departs LHR at 21h50 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 21h50, arriving in JNB at 09h40 the following day. Return flight VS449 departs JNB at 20h35 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, arriving in LHR Terminal 2 at 06h35 the following day. The new Cape Town service will initially operate a limited schedule, still to be announced. Both routes will, according to Virgin Atlantic, will provide seamless connections to New York JFK and will be operated by a B787-900 Dreamliner.
VIRGIN ATLANTIC NOW INCLUDES COVID-19 INSURANCE COVER.
EMIRATES AND AIRLINK
We are pleased to inform you that Emirates and Airlink (4Z) have concluded a special prorate agreement effective 19 October 2020. Airlink’s domestic and regional routes (listed below) will be made accessible on EK documentation on the following booking classes.
Economy cabin: B / M / Q
Business Cabin: D
Vice versa Domestic Sectors offered by 4Z
| JNB – PTG | JNB – BFN | JNB – CPT | JNB – DUR | JNB – ELS |
| JNB – GRJ | JNB – RCB | JNB – KIM | JNB – PLZ | JNB – HDS |
| JNB – MQP | JNB – PZB | JNB – SIS | JNB – SZK | JNB – UTN |
| JNB – UTT | CPT – GRJ | CPT – HDS | CPT – KIM | CPT – MQP |
| CPT – PLZ | CPT – SZK | CPT – UTN | DUR – BFN | DUR – MQP |
Vice versa Regional Africa Sectors offered by 4Z
| JNB – MPM | JNB – BEW | JNB – POL | JNB – TET | JNB – HRE |
| JNB – LUN | JNB – VNX | JNB – WVB | JNB – WDH | JNB – NOS |
| JNB – BBK | JNB – BUQ | JNB – GBE | JNB – HLE | JNB – MSU |
| JNB – MUB | JNB – NLA | JBB – SHO | JNB – TNR | JNB – VNX |
| CPT – HLE | CPT – MUB | CPT – VFA | CPT – WDH | MQP- LVI |
Emirates has a policy in place to cover COVID-19-related medical expenses, free of charge, should a passenger be diagnosed with the virus during their travel while they are away from home. This is effective for passengers flying on Emirates until 31 December 2020, and is valid for 31 days from the moment they start the first sector of their journey. This means the passengers can continue to benefit from the added assurance of this cover, even if they travel onwards to another city after arriving at their Emirates destination.
QATAR AIRWAYS AND AIRLINK
Qatar Airways has signed an interline agreement with Airlink, further expanding its presence in Southern Africa as the largest carrier to operate from the region. The agreement with Airlink will provide passengers seamless connectivity via Cape Town, and Johannesburg to more than 20 regional destinations in Southern Africa including; Gaborone, Maun, Tete, Port Elizabeth, Lusaka, Harare and Victoria Falls. Qatar Airways’ passengers will benefit from access to more than 25 domestic destinations.
If you require any additional information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us on journey@journeybeyond.travel
