SAA suspends all international operations

JOHANNESBURG – South African Airways (SAA) has suspended all international operations until the end of May in response to a government travel ban to contain the spread of the coronavirus as Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) braces for the financial impact of an industry- wide fallout.

SAA said on Friday it would render services only on its regional and domestic routes. SA Express also suspended its operations last week until further notice in light of Covid-19.

Low-cost domestic carrier FlySafair reduced its flight schedule by between 30 and 40percent to rationalise costs amid noticeably lower demand.

Acsa, which processed more than 48million passengers in the last financial year at its nine airports, grounded 14 flights from high-risk areas at OR Tambo International Airport and turned back foreign nationals to their countries of origin on Friday.

It was implementing air travel restrictions banning passenger air travel from the nine countries deemed high risk such as Italy, the US, Germany, and China, per the declaration in terms of the National Disaster.