Download Newsflash – MAY
India Enhance E-Visa Scheme
India’s e-visa has been subdivided into three categories: e-tourist, e-business and e-medical visas. Previously an e-visa was only available for tourists but now travellers can select the appropriate e-visa. The duration of stay for the e-visa has also been increased from 30 to 60 days with double entry on e-tourist and e-business visas and triple entry on e-medical visas. Travellers must carry a copy of the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) during the time of travel.
Meningitis Outbreak in Nigeria
Clients travelling to Nigeria need to be vaccinated against meningitis due to an outbreak in the country. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reported 1 828 suspected cases of meningitis with 269 deaths in 15 of the country’s 36 states. The NCDC said it would be working with the World Health Organisation, the UN Children’s Fund and Doctors Without Borders to try to control the outbreak.
SAA Cabin Crew Strike
SAA cabin crew members affiliated to the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) are demanding an increase in their daily meal allowance when travelling overseas resulting in the delay and cancellation of SAA flights departing Johannesburg. Four flights from Johannesburg to Cape Town have been cancelled. Two additional flights and one from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth and the second from Johannesburg to East London have been delayed. The airline is taking SACCA to the Labour Court, over 1 300 cabin crew members are on strike out of SAA’s total complement of 1 700. It has been confirmed that 85% of SAA’s cabin crew are striking.
Cathay Pacific Launches Self Service Bag-Tag Kiosk
Cathay Pacific has introduced a new self-service bag-tag kiosk at OR Tambo International Airport. The fully automated system allows passengers to check in as well as print boarding passes and baggage tags by following simple on-screen instructions. Passengers can now print their own bag tags and tag their own luggage at a Cathay Pacific Kiosk machine where they can also print the number of bag tags they require according to the specified luggage allowance.
Air Mauritius Launches Mobile Boarding Pass
South African travellers can now check in for their Air Mauritius flight with their mobile phones and receive a digital boarding pass. The boarding pass can be saved on the phone and be used to access all check points including immigration, security check points and boarding gates. The mobile check-in is available for flights from South Africa to Mauritius and Paris and will soon be available for London and Réunion. With the mobile boarding pass all travel information is kept in one place.
More Options for British Airways
British Airways plans to add capacity on African routes, introduce new lounges and enhance catering for African customers. The airline will add 680 seats a week to its London – Johannesburg route allowing Travellers a choice of two flights a day. BA has also increased the frequency of flights to Mauritius from Gatwick, customers flying into Gatwick will arrive in the south terminal where a new premium check-in area with leather bench seating and ample power supplies has been created. The airline also has plans to revamp its lounge at OR Tambo and will build a new lounge at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
Qatar Introduces Laptop Lending Services
Qatar Airways has introduced a laptop lending service for its premium passengers flying to and from the US. Passengers will be able to download their work on a USB before boarding and will be able to continue their work in-flight on a laptop provided by the airline. The airline said it would also offer one hour’s free Wi-Fi for all passengers and those who wanted to stay connected on their laptop or smartphone would be able to do so at an additional cost of $5 (R68).
Yellow Fever Certificate for Angola
There have been some recent reports stating that anyone transitioning from Angola requires a yellow fever certificate. However, Angola Airlines has indicated that this is in fact not true. Passengers travelling through Angola to or from non-yellow fever area do not require a yellow fever certificate provided the transit is less than 12 hours.
PLEASE NOTE:
All prices quoted are subject to change without prior notice, due to airfare increases and / or currency fluctuations and subject to availability.
