Emirates, one of the leading international airlines to fly to and from South Africa, will suspend its flights to the country until March 20.
The decision is in line with government directives that restrict the entry of travellers originating from South Africa into the UAE.
Despite South Africans not being able to travel outbound with the airline, Emirates revealed that daily passenger flights to Johannesburg would resume from March 11 and operate as EK763. Outbound passenger services on EK764 remain suspended.
Emirates resumed flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town from October 1 and Durban from October 4 when the country opened its international borders.
At the time, customers flying in and out of Emirates’s 3 South African gateways could travel to destinations in Europe, the Far East, Middle East, West Asia and Australasia that permitted travel.
The almost three-month suspension of flights to and from South Africa started on January 16 this year The airline was set to resume flights later that month but suspended them until February 28 and later to March 10.
"Emirates remains committed to serving our customers in South Africa, and we look forward to resuming passenger services when conditions allow.
"We continue to work closely with all relevant authorities in this regard, and will endeavour to provide our customers with as much support and notice as possible," the airline said.
Emirates operates flights to Dubai from Cape Town, King Shaka and OR Tambo international airports.
IOL Travel has reached out to Emirates about the impact of not operating South African flights.
The airline, through its PR team in South Africa, revealed that it had "no further comments than the statement shared."