Lufthansa reopens flights to South African passengers

Following a ministerial vote taken in Germany on Friday 30 July, South Africa and eight other states in Southern Africa (Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe) have been reclassified by Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI) from virus variant areas as areas of “high risk”.

GOOD NEWS FOR LUFTHANSA  

For several months, Germany’s national carrier operated a limited flight schedule between the two countries while the travel ban was in place. Lufthansa was only able to carry passengers who were in possession of German and EU residence or citizenship on its flights from South Africa. 

The reclassification means that Lufthansa will be able to welcome passengers from South Africa on its flights once again. Lufthansa general manager for Southern Africa and East Africa Dr Andre Schulz welcomed the change and said that Lufthansa would increase frequencies to South Africa if there is demand for more flights.

“It is without doubt that this news will have a significant impact on our day-to-day business, and is welcomed by us all with great excitement and elation. Based on these new regulations the airlines of the Lufthansa Group will continuously re-evaluate and adjust our capacity to meet the demand according to our customers’ needs,” Schulz told Tourism Update.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ENTRY TO GERMANY

There is no longer a German transport ban on travellers without German or EU citizenship. South Africans may now travel to Germany provided they comply with Germany’s entry requirements.

Travellers from high-risk areas who have been fully vaccinated with approved vaccines are not required to undergo a quarantine on arrival. However, those who have not been fully vaccinated are required to complete a 10-day quarantine when arriving in Germany, but may end this after five days, if they test negative.

“This means it is now easier to enter Germany from South Africa or Namibia, given that the quarantine period is only 10 days instead of 14 days and can be ended after just five days with a negative PCR test,” Schulz said.

BOOST FOR SA TOURISM SECTOR

According to thelocal.de, Germany’s health authorities faced weeks of pressure from lobby groups and industry in Germany, to ease entry restrictions for states in Southern Africa.

The easing of restrictions will enable South Africans to travel to Germany once again. The change might also give South Africa’s embattled tourism sector a boost since vaccinated Germans would not have to quarantine when returning to Germany from South Africa. Germany was also one of South Africa’s key tourism source countries prior to the onset of the pandemic.