Level 1 lockdown changes planned for travel in South Africa

Government is set to update the level 1 travel rules for South Africa, relaxing the requirements for people who plan to fly domestically over the holiday period.

An Airports Company of South Africa (ACSA) spokesperson confirmed the changes, while state-owned domestic airline Mango has published a statement outlining some of the changes.

The revised rules will see domestic port health screening stopped countrywide from midnight on 24 November 2020 for domestic travel purposes.

“We have also been advised in this regard, that health questionnaires will therefore not be required from the 25 November 2020 onwards for domestic travellers only,” Mango said.

ACSA will continue with temperature screening checks for airport entry, and only allow entry to those with the applicable paperwork for flight. However, travel permits will no longer be required for all travel, Mango said.

Other requirements which remain in place include:

• Wearing of a mask in airport and for travel is mandatory;
• Social distancing will still be required within airport terminals;
• Guests are encouraged to maintain general hand hygiene and sanitize frequently.

Please be advised that Health Screening will be stopped as of midnight, 24 November 2020.

Additionally, Health Questionnaires will therefore not be required from 25th November 2020 onwards for domestic travellers only.

For more info, visit: https://t.co/OsAs2MTipK pic.twitter.com/N7XpST2iVI

— FlyMangoSA (@FlyMangoSA) November 23, 2020

“Due to the extra regulatory and safety protocols required, we advise our guests to plan for extra time for their flight journeys,” Mango said.  “Please arrive at least two-and-half hours prior to your flight as a contingency for any unforeseen delays.”

“These are extraordinary times requiring never-before-implemented extraordinary measures. We call on all South Africans to adhere to lockdown regulations, wear masks at all times, maintain good hygiene and social distancing, and more than ever before, continue to use all our digital platforms (web, mobi-app, email, etc.) including our call centre.”

The revised regulations come as domestic airlines open for bookings ahead of the festive period.

Mango, Kulula, FlySafair, Airlink and newly-launched airline Lift have all reopened for domestic flights, with other brands like British Airways also returning.

Read: British Airways reopens domestic flights in South Africa