lhrsfo

Nobody yet knows the effects on hospitalisation and death of the new variant but early reports are that it is significantly milder. I can understand why politicians are scrambling to look tough and do something but the question will be whether, when more is known in mid December, they then adjust their stance or avoid the decision. I suspect the latter, which means that, assuming it is milder, unnecessary restrictions will hang around for months or years.

jsnydcsa

https://www.tourismupdate.co.za/arti...s-carriers-yet
"A United spokesperson told Tourism Update that the airline was monitoring how the new travel restrictions to Africa may impact demand. “United remains committed to maintaining a safe and vital link for essential supplies and personnel to transit between the African continent and the United States as feasible. We don’t have any adjustments to our schedule at this time.”
“United currently operates five flights per week between New York/Newark and Johannesburg. United plans to restart the service between Newark and Cape Town on December 1 as scheduled.”"

If this thread is to monitor announced changes or cancellations to UA's USA-SA service based on presumably, USG or SA's decisions, don't really know why we're talking about other airlines plans or other countries' decisions.

Just did a random check or two on united.com and flights still flying EWR-CPT return and EWR-JNB return.

stopdiabetes

Seems that while there is inevitable dropoff in loads from EWR to CPT and EWR, they are holding up well, and of course, loads from South African airports are very high. Encouraging that UA will keep flying the routes, and hopefully at some point have a vaccination and negative test required going either direction. UA 1122 EWR to CPT on December 1 has 0 inventory in Coach.

ContinentalFan

A few days: I’m expecting to get word today. The southern part of Africa has the most confirmed cases. Interestingly, many of those reported infected with this omicron variant were vaccinated. It’s bound to cause people to rethink travel. Falling loads will trigger flight cancelations. (I refuse to double the letter l.) If something similar happens in Israel, Belgium, the UK, Germany or Italy, flight cancelations will follow (unless cargo is a concern).

CALMSP

I have no doubt that the flights will cancel to JNB/CPT, and TLV reductions to EWR only. More may follow as everyone freaks out with the XI variant.

escapefromphl

Yeah the loads aren't pointing that way to me. I think many are just over this, have vacations booked and are not going to cancel. I think United views these flights as strategic, and taking a small short term loss preventing any other carrier from picking up these routes is the cost of doing business.

EWR764

Loads have declined a bit and I'm sure forward bookings are going to take a hit on the margin, but a consensus is building in the industry that we aren't going to see a demand collapse associated with this latest variant hysteria.

Thus far, there is no evidence to suggest that this latest variant poses an increased morbidity/mortality rate over Delta, which is still the overwhelmingly predominant variant among reported cases and hospitalizations in the USA. At some point we'll reach a tipping point where we shift our collective focus away from the gross number of cases and eventually look to what actually matters: demand on hospital/therapeutic resources. Meaning, getting away from asymptomatic testing of the vaccinated, panic over increased numbers without a commensurate increase in severity/hospitalization, etc. We may be approaching it.

Unfortunately, this all but assures we see an extension of the federal mask mandate ("any mask will do") through the first half of 2022.

CALMSP

regardless of this new end of times variant, the mask mandate would still be in place through 2022......I see nothing that would make one believe it will be going anywhere.....especially with the FA unions.

Hawkeyefan

'Deadly New Variant??'....need I say more, this is blatantly false news.
The new variant supposedly has mild symptoms upon initial review. Yawn.

Lets keep on track...SA flights please.

HNLbasedFlyer

I clicked on the link and the words 'dead' or 'deadly' did not appear on the webpage.

Hawkeyefan

One of the posts at the top of this thread indicated that CNN article mentioned 'deadly'. Ha...they probably changed it.

BLONDIEandDAGWOOD

Looks like the Jo-burg flight frequency has increased from 5 days a week to daily and Cape Town is on track to start up again tomorrow. This is positive news and hopefully indicates that it’s less likely the routes get cancelled in Dec and early part of Jan. Holding thumbs!

detony

-QR sent us an email 6 hours before departure which was about 30 hours after we found out ourselves that they cancelled our Nov29 reservation CPT-DOH-JFK. No assistance of any kind. GRADE F.
-AA. the QR ticket was an award. AA called me and told me about the cancelled QR resy and promptly refunded miles and fees. AA reached out to us about the same time QR did. AA GRADE A.
-UA. Currently booked on the new CPT-EWR flight which leaves EWR to CPT tonight 12/1 for the first service of the summer season. We are on the 1st flight back CPT to EWR 12/3. Had to pay out of pocket but I was happy to get on a non-stop home on a US based airline. (Granted a lot is still fluid...) UA has built a really nice TRAVEL READY feature on their app and I have already loaded my passport, once I take my at home test I can load those results and then load my vax card. If the TRAVEL READY feature is true to its word I will also be able to get my boarding pass (something I have not done via an app for Intl travel for many years). So far UA GRADE A. Fingers crossed.

ContinentalFan

Plus, if it turns out to be significantly more contagious, it will cause more deaths.

The general point about poor journalism is taken!

sfonorth

Can any UA fliers report on how their experience has been on arrival from JNB/CPT in EWR in the last few days? Is there added mandatory or random Covid swab screening on arrival ?

just trying to get a sense of what to expect for travel