Travel update: Middle Eastern airline Etihad set to resume SA flights

Following the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government’s approval of passenger flights to South Africa, Etihad Airways announced that it intends to resume flights between Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg from 3 March.

Etihad closed its office in Johannesburg in December 2020, having terminated its flights to SA routes from October that year.  In October last year, Etihad announced it planned to resume flights to Johannesburg in November 2021.

The discovery of the Omicron variant by South Africa late last year resulted in a slew of bans and new travel restrictions being imposed on various countries in southern Africa once again. These travel and flight bans resulted in Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways having to suspend all flights to destinations in the southern African region for an extended period.

ALSO READ: Etihad latest airline to suspend flights to and from South Africa

UAE EASES RESTRICTIONS                          

The UAE recently lifted the restrictions on the 12 countries which had been subject to flight and travel bans since November last year as a result of the detection of the Omicron variant.                   

The countries included Botswana, Congo Republic, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

ALSO READ: UAE finally lifts entry ban on South African travellers

ETIHAD RETURNS TO SA    

Travelnews reports that Etihad will resume flights to Johannesburg on 3 March. The airline will offer three flights a week on the route. Passengers transiting in Abu Dhabi will be subject to the restrictions and travel rules of their final destinations. 

Passengers entering the UAE must have a certificate of proof of a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of departure. They will also require a negative rapid PCR test taken within six hours before departure. They then must take a further PCR test upon arrival in Abu Dhabi.