Like a phoenix rising from its ashes, South African Airways (SAA) flights returned to the skies for the first time since its embarrassing financial tumble, on Thursday.
The national carrier resumed domestic and continental flights with an early take-off from OR Tambo International in Johannesburg to Cape Town International Airport, the first of three return flights per day between the two cities.
SAA flights: What cities can you travel to?
At the start of the carrier’s relaunch, SAA flights will only operate within South Africa and to a few countries in the continent.
In South Africa, the only SAA flights available will depart and arrive at Cape Town International Airport and OR Tambo. For now, only three flights will operate on this route daily with return bookings starting from R1 800 per adult.
In Africa, SAA flights will also travel to these cities from Monday 27 September 2021:
- Accra, Ghana
- Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Harare, Zimbabwe
- Lusaka, Zambia
- Maputo, Mozambique
How many airplanes does SAA have in its fleet?
Getting to a position where the skies were welcoming to SAA was not easy, to say the least. The national carrier reduced its staff complement from a bloated 5 000+ workforce, to a little below 1 000.
According to board chairperson John Lamola, another important cost-saver was reducing the carriers fleet from 32 airbuses to just eight.
“Economics aside, there is also the pride factor. Seeing SAA’s tail colours on international tarmacs is not only positive for South Africa but the rest of the continent,” Lamola said
COVID-19 travel information you need to know
For travellers using SAA to fly domestically or to the five African countries listed above, these travel precautions and alerts must be taken into account before you book your ticket:
South Africa
- Negative PCR test issued at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point is compulsory (this does not apply to passengers below the age of five).
- Passengers must complete a “Traveller Health Questionnaire” upon arrival.
- Passengers and airline crew are subject to medical screening.
- In the event of the traveller’s failure to submit a certificate as proof of a negative COVID-19 test, the traveller will be required to do an antigen test on arrival at his or her own cost and in the event of a traveller testing positive for COVID-19, he or she will be required to isolate him or herself at his or her own cost, for a period of 10 days.
Democratic Republic of Congo
- Passengers must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken at most 72 hours before arrival. The test result must be in English or French.
- Passengers must complete a “Travellers Registration Form” before arrival. This will generate a QR code which must be presented upon arrival.
- Passengers are subject to a COVID-19 test upon arrival at their own expense.
Ghana
- Passengers must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point. The test result must have a QR code obtained Global Haven or Africa CDC (this does not apply to nationals and residents of Ghana returning within one week and passengers below the age of five).
- Nationals and residents of Ghana returning within one week without a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point are subject to a test upon arrival. The test result must have a QR code obtained Global Haven or Africa CDC (does not apply to passengers below the age of five).
- Passengers must complete a Port Health Declaration Form before arrival.
- Passengers are subject to a COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival at their own expense. They must have a payment confirmation obtained from My Frontier Healthcare (does not apply to passengers below the age of five).
- Passengers are subject to medical screening upon arrival.
- Passengers could be subject to quarantine for 7 days at their own expense.
Mozambique
- Mozambique is only accepting visitors arriving from Ethiopia, Kenya, Portugal, Qatar, South Africa and Turkey.
- Passengers must have a printed negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued at most 72 hours before departure. The test result must be issued in English, French or Portuguese. This does not apply to passengers younger than five as well as nationals and residents of Mozambique who have been outside of Mozambique for less than seven days. The PCR test they have obtained before departure is valid for seven days.
- Passengers could be subject to medical screening and quarantine for 14 days.
- Airline crew are subject to medical screening and quarantine until their next scheduled flight.
Zambia
- Passengers must have a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken at most 72 hours before departure from the first embarkation point. This does not apply to passengers younger than five.
- A completed “Traveller Health Questionnaire” must be presented upon arrival.
- Passengers and airline crew are subject to medical screening upon arrival.
- Passengers could be subject to a COVID-19 test upon arrival at their own expense.
- Passengers could be subject to self-isolation for 14 days. This does not apply to passengers with a COVID-19 vaccination certificate.
Zimbabwe
- Passengers without a printed negative COVID-19 PCR test result issued at most 48 hours before departure from the first embarkation point are subject to a PCR test and quarantine upon arrival.