South Africa’s Skies are Officially Opened

International flights have landed in South Africa for the first time in more than six months, touching down amid a flurry of celebrations as coronavirus-linked travel restrictions lifted. Jets of water were sprayed in an arc to welcome an Emirates flight from Dubai as it touched down in the coastal city of Cape Town on Thursday. In the arrivals areas, performers danced and played jolly music as the crew walked out in a welter of South African flags. An Ethiopian Airlines flight landed shortly after jetting in from Addis Ababa. German carrier Lufthansa was the first European airline to resume operations into South Africa, with a flight from Frankfurt landing at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo international airport at 8:30am local time (06:30 GMT). Planes also flew in from Kenya, Zambia and neighbouring Zimbabwe. Tourists from more than 50 nations with high infection rates remain banned for the time being, including major sources of foreign visitors such as the United Kingdom, Russia and the United States. Those travel restrictions will be reviewed every two weeks.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA