Minister of Transport Fikile Mbalula has announced that limited domestic air travel for business purposes will be allowed, subject to restrictions on the number of flights per day and authorization based on the reason for travel.

The resumption of domestic flights will be rolled out in three phases.

Guided by these considerations, commercial aircraft movement will be allowed from these airports during each phase:

PHASE 1

  • OR Tambo International Airport
  • Cape Town International Airport
  • King Shaka International Airport, and
  • Lanseria International Airport

PHASE 2

  • Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport
  • Polokwane International Airport
  • Bram Fischer Airport

PHASE 3

  • Kimberley Airport
  • Upington Airport
  • East London Airport
  • Umtata Airport
  • Port Elizabeth Airport

Guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus in civil aviation activities have been developed by the South African Civil Aviation Authority and these will be implemented by the industry, with SACAA playing an oversight role.

AIRPORTS

Limited domestic air travel also means that flights will only be allowed to depart and land at selected airports in a phased manner.

Only passengers will be allowed inside the terminal buildings.  Therefore, no accompanying members of the public will be allowed inside the terminal buildings.

Temperature screening will be conducted at the terminal building entrances before any passenger is allowed entry.

No passengers will be allowed inside the terminal buildings without masks.

ACSA will ensure the effectiveness of the sanitization process before entering the terminal buildings, which may result in the number of entrances being reduced.

All the airports will have markings on the floor for social distancing of 1.5 metres. This will be applicable at check-in counters, security checkpoints and airport lounges.

All airline check-in agents will wear face shields and the counters will be installed with protective screens. Check-in counters will also be frequently sanitized.

All airport personnel will wear masks.

Passengers are encouraged to use self-check-in to avoid queues at the airport.

At boarding gates, boarding will be staggered and prioritized in terms of the number of passengers to board.  Sectional boarding will be implemented to avoid unnecessary contact inside the aircraft.

Inside the cabin, full capacity will be allowed.

The following measures will apply inside the cabin of the aircraft:

  • no catering will be allowed;
  • no magazines on board;
  • The last row will be reserved for isolation of suspected cases.

All aircraft must be disinfected before entering into service and after each flight. On arrival, all passengers must be screened as they enter the terminal building.  Suspected cases must be referred to Port Health.

Read the full speech.

THESE AIRLINES ARE OPERATING DURING LEVEL 3

FLYSAFAIR

FlySafair will be flying from 15 June 2020. The airline is also giving passengers “the option to social distance from the person seated next to them by neutralizing the middle seat in a row of three seats on an aircraft”. This comes at a fee of R750 per person. Read more here.

 

SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS

South African Airways is retaining its domestic schedule between Johannesburg and Cape Town with effect from 15 June 2020.

 

 

Source: Love Capetown