US Airline "No Plans to Reduce South Africa Flights"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] As the U.S. government has imposed travel restrictions on eight South African countries amid concerns over the spread of the Omicron variant, American airlines operating direct flights to South Africa plan to maintain their scheduled flight schedules without reducing flights for the time being.

United Airlines stated on the 29th (local time), "We are monitoring how the new travel restrictions will affect air travel demand," but "there are no plans to change the schedule yet," according to local media reports.

Starting today, the U.S. will temporarily restrict entry from eight African countries: South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi. Travelers from these countries, except U.S. citizens or permanent residents, will not be allowed to enter the United States.

Only two U.S. airlines operate direct flights to South Africa: United Airlines and Delta Air Lines.

United Airlines currently operates the New York Newark?South Africa Johannesburg route five times a week and the Washington Dulles?Ghana Accra route three times a week.

Additionally, on this day, it launched a new route from Washington Dulles to Lagos, Nigeria, and according to Chicago NBC, it will resume the New York Newark?South Africa Cape Town route from the 1st, which had been suspended for some time.

Delta Air Lines also stated on the 26th that "there are no plans to change the South Africa flight schedule in relation to the travel restrictions." Delta operates the route between its headquarters in Atlanta and Johannesburg, South Africa, three times a week.