Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways will return to South Africa in late-November, a year after it closed its Johannesburg offices and announced the suspension of flights between the two countries.
Travel connections between the Middle East and South Africa are slowly reopening in the wake of fierce coronavirus-induced restrictions. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) dropping their bans on fully vaccinated South African travellers are some of the most recent examples of this reopening.
And as global travel catches a glimmer of hope, dormant flight paths are reawakening, with embattled airlines rearing to capitalise on a post-lockdown passenger boom.
Some airlines have fared better than others. Within the context of connections between the Middle East and South Africa, Qatar Airways has been the most resilient, operating daily flights between Doha and Johannesburg’s O.R. International Airport throughout the year.
Dubai-based Emirates has been less active, with its South African flight path suspended from January to September, due to the UAE’s strict travel ban.
Having announced the closure of its South African offices in November 2020 – a month before the Beta variant led to major international travel restrictions – Etihad Airways has been the most inactive major Middle Eastern carrier. The last time Etihad operated a commercial flight to South Africa was in March 2020.
Etihad had originally aimed to return to South Africa in March 2021, but extended travel restrictions driven by fears of the Delta variant prolonged the airline’s hiatus.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Etihad announced that it would start flying to Johannesburg and Cape Town on 25 November.
“Johannesburg is an important route on our network and offers vital connectivity to and from the southern African region. On the southern coast, Cape Town is a breath-taking part of the world, with something to offer the most discerning traveller,” said Tony Douglas, Etihad’s group chief executive officer.
These South African routes will be serviced three times a week, with flights on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, with 28 Business Studios, 78 Economy Space seats and 184 Economy seats, will operate between Abu Dhabi and South Africa.
Direct, one-way flights between Johannesburg’s OR Tambo and Abu Dhabi International Airport start from R6,611.44.
Fully vaccinated travellers will be allowed to enter Abu Dhabi without needing to quarantine. Travellers will still need to present a negative PCR test result and register with the UAE’s Federal Authority of Identity and Citizenship (ICA).
Source: https://www.businessinsider.co.za/etihad-starts-flying-to-south-africa-2021-10
