- Israel,
Turkey, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Denmark, the UK and Vietnam have all halted
air travel to and from South Africa.
- The
suspension of flights follows the detection of 501.v2, a mutated
SARS-CoV-2 variant which holds a higher transmission rate.
- A
wave of cancellations impacting the UK is likely to extend to South
Africa, as countries try and keep new, possibly more virulent, variants of
the coronavirus out.
Several countries have
imposed travel bans on South Africa after a new, more infectious SARS-CoV-2
mutation was confirmed in mid-December.
The 501.v2 variant was
initially identified in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and along the Garden
Route. It has since spread to other parts of the country and the world and may
have properties that allow it to spread faster than other variants of the
coronavirus.
A new, and also possibly
more virulent variant has, similarly, been confirmed in the UK by Prime
Minister Boris Johnson, who announced tougher lockdown measures for London on
Saturday 19 December. Following a surge in infections, the UK implemented tighter lockdown restrictions to start the new
year.
Following the variant's
initial discovery, dozens of countries have banned flights from the UK.
These countries have
already closed their borders to South African travellers in response to the new
variant.
Vietnam
On 5 January, Vietnam's
health and transport ministries announced an immediate suspension of flights
from both South African and the UK.
"The risk for the
disease to penetrate and spread in Vietnam is very high, especially from people
entering from infected countries," the health ministry said in a
statement.
Denmark
On 5 January 2021,
Denmark's justice ministry announced that "foreigners residing in South
Africa will be refused entry" as part of a travel ban expected to last
until at least 17 January. Exceptions include travel for child care purposes
and family visits for people who are sick or dying. Access under these
circumstances will still be subject to a negative Covid-19 PCR test.
United Kingdom
UK Health Minister Matt
Hancock confirmed that direct flights from South Africa would be suspended at
09:00 on 24 December 2020. Travellers who have been in, or transited through,
South Africa in the last ten days will also not be permitted to enter the UK.
Additionally, Hancock urged
anybody who had been in contact with someone travelling from South Africa in
the past two weeks to self-isolate in quarantine.
"This new variant is
highly concerning, because it is yet more
transmissible, and it appears to have mutated further than the new
variant that has been discovered in the UK," Hancock announced.
The Netherlands (reversed
decision on 23 December)
Although the Dutch Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, which was one of the first to implement a UK travel ban on
20 December, initially announced that the Netherlands had closed its borders to
South African travellers, regulations were revised on 23 December.
KLM airlines confirmed that
South African travellers would be afforded access to the Netherlands on
condition that they submit a negative Covid-19 PCR test result obtained less
than 72 hours before arrival. Even with a negative result, travellers coming
from South Africa will need to quarantine for ten days.
"KLM welcomes this
decision and confirms that this updated regulation enables KLM to operate all
passenger flights from South Africa to Amsterdam from 23 December 2020 and
onwards as initially planned," the airline said in a statement.
Israel
On Sunday 20 December,
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that all commercial flights
from Britain, Denmark and South Africa had been suspended. Any travellers
returning to Israel, who had spent any period of time in either Britain,
Denmark or South Africa in the past 30-days, will be subject to a mandatory
quarantine period.
Turkey
Turkey’s Health Minister
Fahrettin Koca announced a temporary ban on all flights from Britain, the
Netherlands, Denmark, and South Africa, citing dangers of the new Covid-19
variant. “It has been reported that the rate of transmission has increased with
the mutation of the coronavirus,” said Koca.
Germany
Germany’s Federal Minister
for Health Jens Spahn confirmed that flights from the UK and South Africa would
be suspended from Monday 21 December. “Because of the reported coronavirus
mutation, the federal government intends to restrict travel options between
Germany and Great Britain and South Africa,” added government spokeswoman
Martina Fietz. The temporary suspension will be reviewed on 31 December 2020.
Lufthansa confirmed that
only flights from Frankfurt and Munich to South Africa will continue to
operate. Flights from South Africa to Germany will reopen between 1 January and
6 January 2021 but will only be offered to passengers with German citizenship
or proof of permanent residence.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of
Health has confirmed the suspension of all international flights. Passengers in
transit on Monday 21 December will, however, be allowed to complete their
travel plans. The suspension will last until the end of 2020 and may be
extended if cases continue to rise in high-risk countries.
Switzerland (revised 24
December)
Switzerland’s Federal
Office of Civil Aviation “suspended all air traffic connections” with South Africa
and the UK on Sunday 20 December 2020. “Switzerland is reacting to the
appearance of a new variant of the coronavirus, which, according to initial
findings, is significantly more contagious than the known form,” the authority
said in a statement.
This decision was revised,
allowing for limited flight operations from Thursday 24 December to "allow
persons resident in the UK and South Africa to return home for Christmas".
The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health confirmed that departures would be
closely monitored and that persons leaving Switzerland will be kept
separate from others using the airport.
Additionally, return
flights into Switzerland, from the UK and South Africa, will only be offered
to Swiss citizens or holders of a Swiss residence permit or type D
visa from Switzerland. These flights will need to be preapproved by the Swiss
Federal Office of Civil Aviation and citizens looking to return home have been
urged to contact their preferred airline directly.
Mauritius
On Monday afternoon, Mauritius
confirmed that any person who had resided or travelled through the UK or South
Africa in the last 15 days would be banned from entering the island
nation.
Panama
The Central American nation
announced that travellers from the UK and South Africa would be barred entry,
effective from 23:59 on Monday 21 December.
These countries have banned
travel from the UK, which makes bans on SA likely to follow
The UK has been hit with a
swell of flight suspensions across the European Union and the world. Bans
impacting South Africa, as a result of the 501.v2 variant’s presence, are
likely to follow.
- France
- Norway
- Belgium
- Lithuania
- Latvia
- Estonia
- Italy
- India
- Ireland
(travel ban ends on Saturday 9 January 2021)
- Austria
- Hong
Kong
- Canada
- El
Salvador
- Colombia
- Morocco
- Chile
(effective Tuesday)
- Finland
- Argentina
www.samigration.com