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Due to travel restriction put in place, please note Asky has suspended operations to/from Johannesburg effective 31ST Jan – 30TH May.

The Turkish low-cost airline has announced that it is increasing the number of direct flights that it offers from the Turkish city of Antalya, with the launch of a new service to Moldova's capital of Chisinau; the inaugural flight on the new route will operate from 23 April.

The country's government has announced that from 30 January, the Czech Republic's borders will be closed to all foreign nationals to combat the spread of COVID-19, with limited exemptions; allowance will be made for reasons including those visiting next of kin, receiving medical care, or participating in weddings or funerals. Truck drivers who supply necessary goods will be able to cross the border, however border guards will check incoming persons on a random basis.

“The German government has decided on Friday, January 29, further restrictions on travel. The airlines of the Lufthansa Group will implement these new entry regulations for flights to Germany accordingly. These will apply for the period effective January 30 until February 17, 2021, for passengers traveling from South Africa, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Brazil and Portugal to Germany. Under the new order from German authorities, Lufthansa Group may only carry passengers with German citizenship or permanent residence permits to Germany. In addition, connecting passengers may likewise continue to use these flights, provided they do not enter Germany and continue to a non-Schengen country. All passengers must present a negative Corona test prior to departure. This valid PCR, antigen or LAMP tests must all comply with guidelines of the German Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and they must not be older than 48 hours when entering Germany. Lufthansa intends to continue offering flights to the countries mentioned. The airline is closely monitoring the current situation and adjusts its flight schedules as necessary.”

Qatar Airlines have temporarily suspended acceptance of new bookings from South Africa to the UK until further notice

Emirates’ flights to South Africa will remain suspended until 12th February 2021, in line with recent government directives.

The country's government has announced that further COVID-19 travel restrictions will be enforced from midnight (local time) on 30 January; all international travel to and from France from outside of the EU will be suspended, unless there are exceptional circumstances. In addition, a COVID-19 PCR test is required if passengers arrive in France from another EU country, except for trans-border workers. Travel to or from France's overseas territories is not permitted, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

The country's government has announced updated COVID-19 entry restrictions for passengers from countries deemed as 'high-risk' for the virus due to the ongoing monitoring of variant strains; passengers from countries such as the UK, Brazil, Portugal and South Africa will now face increased restrictions in addition to existing testing and quarantine measures.

The government of the devolved UK administration of Wales has confirmed that current COVID-19 'lockdown' measures will be extended for a further three weeks until at least 22 February. The nation entered its most restrictive 'tier four' measures - effectively a national lockdown with a stay-at-home order - a few days before Christmas amid high case rates. The Welsh government has now said that the situation is improving; however, officials have ruled that the measures need to be extended for now to allow the health service to recover.

Middle-eastern airlines Emirates and Etihad have announced the immediate suspension of UK flights from 13.00 (GMT) today, 29 January; the measures have been taken in response to an update from the UK government in which it added the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to its 'red list' of countries. This means that people who have been in or transited through the UAE (plus Burundi and Rwanda who were also added yesterday) will be denied entry to the UK, with the exception of UK and Irish nationals, and third country nationals with residence in the UK. Emirates announced it would suspend all U.K. passenger flights from 1300 (GMT) today, when the UK measures take effect. Etihad said it would only suspend flights arriving in the UK, with those departing remaining unaffected.

The country's government has announced that all Canadian passengers returning from international travel will now be required to take a COVID-19 test on arrival, followed by three days of monitored hotel quarantine at their own expense while awaiting the results. Those with negative tests will then be permitted to quarantine at home for the remainder of a two-week period. Non-essential travel into Canada by most foreign nationals has been banned since the pandemic first began in March 2020.

The country's national government in Beijing has said that domestic visitors arriving in the capital from low-risk areas around mainland China must present a negative COVID-19 test result prior to arrival; the new measure will be in place until at least 15 March. Visitors from high and medium-risk areas remain barred from entering the city. Testing must occur within seven days prior to entry to Beijing, and travellers must also monitor their health and undergo further testing on the seventh and 14th day following their arrival.

The country's government announced yesterday, 28 January, that it had extended a national COVID-19 'lockdown' until mid-February, in addition to announcing further curbs on international travel. Among other measures, to attempt to curb the spread of the virus, Portuguese nationals will be banned from travelling to other countries by air, land or sea over the next 15 days; strict checks along the 1,200-km (750-mile) border with Spain will also be put in place.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced that direct flights to and from the UK have been temporarily suspended as of today, 29 January, following the UK's decision to add the country to it's travel 'red list' from which non-UK and Irish nationals, or passengers of other nationalities without UK residence, are banned from entering. The suspension comes into effect from 13.00 (GMT), and passengers booked for travel on flights due to arrive in the UK after this time should not go to Dubai International Airport, but instead contact their airline for more information.

British Airways has cancelled additional flights from Johannesburg to Heathrow up until *16 April 2021 inclusive and from Cape Town to Heathrow up until *16 April 2021 inclusive (*subject to change).

The country's government has announced a closure of its borders to foreign travellers who do not have Norwegian citizenship or residency, with limited exemptions. All travellers to Norway (including citizens) must also now register no more than 72 hours prior their arrival, and arrivals from countries designated as 'high-risk' for COVID-19 must also undergo testing upon arrival. Additional restrictions apply to travellers arriving from the UK, South Africa, Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Brazil. Eligible passengers travelling from a high-risk country must also present proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result taken within 24 hours before arrival. Norwegian residents are exempt from this requirement.

The country's government today, 29 January, announced that it had extended partial COVID-19 restrictions in the capital city of Manila until at least the end of February, in a big to slow a spike in infections of the virus; the measures include the limited operations of shopping malls and dine-in eateries, as well as curbs on gatherings and public transport capacity. Meanwhile, the country's government today also relaxed travel curbs on international travellers coming from more than 30 countries including the U.S and China, starting from next month.

The airline has announced a new requirement for passengers arriving into its hub airport in Dubai from 31 January from any point of origin; all passengers must hold a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate, for which a negative result must have been obtained from a test taken a maximum of 72 hours prior to departure. Nationals of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are exempt, but must still take a COVID-19 PCR test on arrival at Dubai International Airport. Passengers transiting through Dubai must also continue to ensure that they comply with the entry requirements of their respective destination country.

Lufthansa and SWISS are partnering with Airlin, to offer customers access to over 25 domestic destinations in South Africa. The interline agreement allows customers the convenience of purchasing a single ticket to or from a multitude of destinations in Southern Africa. The Lufthansa Group is pleased to offer customers, even more, travel convenience through this partnership.

Middle-eastern airline Qatar Airways has announced that it has signed a partnership agreement with low-cost South African carrier Mango Airlines; the move will allow greater connectivity for regional travel throughout South Africa, for passengers travelling to or from the middle east, in addition to those travelling onto destinations in Qatar's global network via its hub in Doha.