The_Bouncer

Oh God, you've just reminded me that I still haven't updated my profile after I moved to Bregenz 4 years ago!

Actually, I did take a scenic Zeppelin flight from Friedrichshafen last summer and flew literally over my home in Bregenz!

EDIT: Done now - I don't go on the full page very often!

johan rebel

Just gently pulling your leg there!

You've just reminded me to put a zeppelin flight on my wish list.

Johan

The_Bouncer

No worries! I've been meaning to do that for a while.

I can highly recommend the Zeppelin. PM me for any tips.

​​​​​Anyway, we should get back to talking about South Africa.

I really do think it could go any which way and the best policy for any SA trips is to hold off on the booking. Or of course, book an award flight with a very small redeposit fee.

I can see the temptation of some of the deals flying around at the moment. But the way these measures are looking, there is a realistic chance that you will end up with yet another credit voucher.

mattp1987

This is basically what I did booking some award flights to secure the business class space at saver levels while it’s available. I also have some reservations that were already paid that I was able to move the dates. I have decided not to make any new non-refundable reservations.

The_Bouncer

It's just too difficult to predict what's going to happen with the restrictions. I would be happy to undertake any trip which were reasonably practical to take, as long as I knew I could get there and back without being quarantined and that there would actually be something to do when I got there. But there are not that many parts of the world we can say that about at the moment.

T8191

that's 180ş out from the info linked in Post #3! However, we will require both

Is there a link to the latest Level restrictions list?

The_Bouncer

At level 3, with moderate virus spread, and moderate readiness, the following will be allowed:

• Licensing and permitting services, deeds offices and other government services designated by the Minister of Public Service and Administration.
• Take-away restaurants and online food delivery.
• Liquor retail within restricted hours.
• Clothing retail.
• Hardware stores.
• Stationery, personal electronics and office equipment production and retail.
• Books and educational products.
• E-commerce and delivery services.
• Clothing and textiles manufacturing (at 50% capacity).
• Automotive manufacturing.
• Chemicals.
• Bottling.
• Cement and steel.
• Machinery and equipment.
• Global Business Services.
• SANRAL construction and maintenance.
• Transnet at 100%.

• Bus services, taxi services, e-hailing and private motor vehicles may operate at all times of the day, with limitations on vehicle capacity and stringent hygiene requirements.
• Limited passenger rail restored, with stringent hygiene conditions in place.
• Limited domestic air travel, with a restriction on the number of flights per day and authorisation based on the reason for travel.
• No inter-provincial movement of people, except for transportation of goods and exceptional circumstances (e.g. funerals).

​​​​​​It sounds like you can:

Get an Uber, but not rent a car.
Travel around but not to different provinces.
Get a takeaway, but not eat on the premises.
Buy a bottle of wine, but not go to a bar.
Still no cigs though.

Flame3601 , please correct me if I'm misinterpreted this.

Ditto

Car rentals were already allowed in Level 4, for those who are "essential employees" at least, no reason to expect that won't continue to be the case in Level 3.
In Levels 5 and 4 one had to have a certificate to be allowed to travel for work (although this was lightly enforced at least for private cars), unclear if the requirement will still be there at level 3 considering the extent of allowed activities.

Either way the emphasis is about stay at home unless you travel to do an "allowed activity", so I doubt "travel around" will be allowed unless for business (domestic air travel will also be allowed for business reasons).

Considering what happened when moving to level 4 (the president announcing sale of cigarettes will be allowed and finally it was retracted in the official regulations) I think it's better to wait before making any assumptions.

Smiley90

E-mailed the property we have a reservation with for August:

"Thank you for your email.



South Africa’s borders will only open on Alert Level 1 (and then we will only be able to welcome tourists to SA again).



We are currently still on Level 4 and are moving down to Level 3 from 01 June 2020.

Unfortunately it does not look like we will be on Level 1 by August. I would like to suggest that you postpone your trip to 2021 (Borders will be opened by then).



Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance."

HGOLI

That's ever so helpful, thanks.

I only ever visit Kruger NP, and self drive. I usually take the Airlink flight to Skukuza, after a meeting with a 'cop' on the side of the road, a couple of years ago. I watch closely the news from Sanparks, however given my May trip was cancelled, I am really really looking forward to returning.

I will be returning to Eswatini, and I presume they will only open borders to international visitors when SA does. I have friends there, so hopefully they can provide more info and and when.

mattp1987

The Hilton Cape Town City Centre is showing as sold out until Jan 20, 2021. I was thinking of making a reservation for November under Hilton’s free cancellation policy. The DoubleTree is accepting reservations, but I don’t want to stay that far out.

jrl767

we had booked the AC Hotel in CPT for the conference I was planning to attend in July ... the Front Office Manager sent an email stating that the property will not be open at that time due to the mandated ZA lockdown, and that they had cancelled my booking ... the points are back in my Marriott account with no action on my part

my TA rebooked all our accommodations at Vic Falls, Franschhoek, Sabi Sands, and Kambaku River Sands (plus all the ground transfers) out to next May, so I'm just waiting to learn whether Kenya Airways and SA Airlink will offer full refunds for the internal flights before filing my Cancel-For-Any-Reason claim

HGOLI

Just seen this. Any further details? Subject to change, perhaps?

AfricaNews.com (Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament)
The Portfolio Committee on Tourism; and the Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour today, in a joint meeting, received a briefing from the Department of Tourism on its strategic and annual performance plans.
The committees note that in level 3 of the lockdown commencing on 1 June 2020, that certain areas of business tourism will be able to operate whilst domestic travel will reopen in December.

The much-anticipated international tourism will commence in February 2021.

Ditto

Domestic (air) travel for business is listed as one of the things that should be opened in Level 3 of the lockdown "risk adjusted strategy", as such undoubtedly some accommodation will have to open.
The details are still unknown, a briefing by the ministers to clarify the exact Level 3 regulations have been postponed from yesterday to today and then again without specifying the time/date.

I would say that anything pertaining to what will happen in December or February is pure speculation.

mattp1987

The government is now saying the briefing will be tomorrow and that the delay was due to incorporating revised rules on religious services into the regulations.
https://citizen.co.za/news/south-afr...ckson-mthembu/

The same Africa News that was reporting the Dec/Feb dates is also reporting that SAA is aiming to resume domestic flights for business travel in June.
https://www.africanews.com/2020/05/2...s-in-mid-june/