subject2load

Well Uncle T I hope you can make your trip .... although right now I would think that the question of where exactly you sit on the plane is secondary to whether air links between UK and SA are actually back to ‘normal’ by early 2021.

My SA-resident mate texted me just yesterday with a brief update on his own lockdown scenario (still very strict), and commented that “with present exchange rate, you would live like a King here”

I am keen to get down there again myself, at some point, once it looks sensible / safe to do so. But ..... for the immediate / short-term future, I am even more keen to stay out of hospital, by staying at home. I would imagine you share the same order of priority.

CT-UK

Well fingers crossed SA will be open by April, Managed to grab perfect Avios flight for a 2 week break over the Easter Holidays.

T8191

An interesting point, which we have not discussed in detail. But ... at 75 I don’t have that many years left anyway. Do I spend them watching daytime TV with pipe and slippers? I know there’s a potential risk, but I’m disinclined to ‘stop living’ against the risk that I ...
... stop living. 😉

Yanshuf

They've been on the verge for so long!

Yanshuf

Got a trip booked to PLZ, and then back from CPT for mid-Feb 2021 on Qatar. Really hoping that foreigners will be allowed in by that point, without the need for quarantining.

escape2sun

Comair, the BA franchise in SA is implying that they won't start flying again until October/November

https://www.fin24.com/Companies/Indu...ember-20200430

ens100

Hi Will,

Now that another month has passed and things are "starting" to get a little clearer, what's your thoughts on the flights / trip? We are still a little on the fence with ours in mid-September, more leaning towards postponing though. Just wanted to see your thoughts and what you were thinking

wijibintheair

My business is selling safaris in Africa and I follow events in South Africa very closely. Daily cases of coronavirus are showing a very steady upward pattern at the moment, and the government health experts had said they expect the peak to reach South Africa in either August or September. SA Tourism has published a document suggesting the most likely outcome is that domestic tourism will reopen October/November and that the borders will open to international travel only between December 20/February 21. All that being said there is some serious lobbying going on from the tourism sector to push for a degree of reopening tourism as soon as possible. At this stage though the question of when South Africa will be open for tourism is similar to that of "how long is a piece of string?"

nsoltz

All that I can add is that I am working with my tour operator to postpone August trip to SA, Zambia and Uganda to July 2021. Oddly enough, BA sent email asking me to add passport to the PNR for my 8/1 JFK-LHR-JNB flight, which of course will be changed when I have new dates. So at the moment, they plan to operate to JNB despite border closure to Americans.

Greenpen

South Africa is now a dry country where alcohol is banned. Cigarettes too. Will that affect leisure travel to the country?

The_Bouncer

If it's still that way it later in the year I wouldn't touch it with somebody else's 10-foot-barge pole.

nsoltz

Well if alcohol ban continues into 2021, my resort in SA better give me credit for all of those great SA wines I'll miss Don't know about the rest of you, but my crystal ball is having connectivity problems so really can't predict future. And very honestly, if my worries consist only of BA J class vouchers piling up and when I can take luxury adventure/professional photographic travel and when my new car will come from Germany-- well it's small stuff compared to life itself and to the physical and financial hardships so many are experiencing. And with my love of Africa, so saddened over the potential devastation that once again Africa and her people face.

T8191

It would have profound impact on our desire to carry out our planned trip in December. OK, we’re both smokers, and whilst not alcoholics certainly regard drinking SA wine with fine food as a major part of the holiday experience.

Not sure how an Insurance company would regard our perspective, though. Fortunately only one hotel is already pre-paid, the rest are open bookings with payments due (IIRC) some 30: days before arrival.

konagirl2

I know Flyertalkers like their conjecture ;-) However, SA'ers will get to enjoy liquor again (although with restricted sales hours) from Level 3, which for many/all provinces will start from the end of May. Whereas opening domestic travel will only occur at Level 2 and international travel won't begin until Level 1. So no worries about the consumption of fabulous SA wines if and when you are able to actually fly there.

(Source: https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/in...el-5432-and-1/
I too hope that the forecasts being talked about are conservative for the sake of the southern African tourism industry, since JNB is the hub for so many destinations. But mostly I hope that the fatality rate is low in case infections start to balloon. I guess we will see in time.)

Will100

Hi,

Still quite 50/50 in my head however things do appear to be improving. I have resigned myself to the fact the trip may get delayed, not the end of the end if we go in March instead.

I guess a lot depends on the situation in SA (as much as here). That said economies simply need to restart, whether that be in a month or 6 or 12.

If you do book something I would definitely make it into a holiday (adding a car or a bit of accom) so that you can lock in the deal and only pay a few hundred deposit. Worst case you end up with a voucher for next summer.