Cars

Buses

Packages

Activities

Repatriation Flight Assistance

Essential travel with purpose

What is an essential flight?

Essential and repatriation flights are approved by the South African Government to assist citizens to return to their homes, places of employment or study, or to receive medical attention.

They are NOT regular commercial flights and travel is only allowed under special circumstances.

Who is allowed to travel?

Travelling out of South Africa:

1. Any South African national travelling for:

Work

Returning home to family

Medical treatment abroad

Study

Taking up permanent residency in a foreign country

2. Foreign nationals who need to return home from South Africa

Please confirm with the airline if you are eligible for a repatriation flight with them.
South African nationals may NOT travel for leisure purposes on these flights.

Travelling into South Africa:

South African citizens and permanent residents
Other passport holders may enter provided they get written approval from DIRCO

South African citizens and permanent residents require written approval from DIRCO to travel on these flights.
Please contact your nearest South African Embassy in the country from where you are travelling.

How do I book a repatriation flight?

Please note that these essential and repatriation flights cannot be booked on our website.
Contact us and one of our travel agents will assist you through the entire booking process.

Alternatively, you can email us at live@travelstart.com or phone us with your request.

Phone 021 020 0559 or 021 468 4300 (Option 2) Monday - Friday 09:00 - 17:00

What documents do I need?

Valid passport
Relevant travel visa / approvals for the country of arrival. In addition to the relevant visa, the Department of Home Affairs requires South African citizens to obtain a letter from the Embassy confirming theiradmissibility into the country of their intended destination and transit, as well as the necessary clearance to travel. Entry regulations for the final destination must be adhered to, and it is the responsibilityof the passenger to ensure that they qualify and have the correct paperwork. It is the passenger’s responsibility to ensure that they understand the quarantine requirements oftheir country of arrival.
Valid e-ticket
Completed South African Port Health Document (COVID-19) for domestic, regional andinternational air travel
Personal protection: please take your own face mask and hand sanitizer (less than 100ml).
Personal belongings and luggage as per luggage allowances. Certain airlines allow you to travel with pets, should you require this service please request this during your booking.
Any additional documentation will be communicated to you by the airline directly in your Information Pack prior to departure.

What happens after I pay for my ticket?

As these flights are not commercially scheduled, different booking and check-in processes will apply, depending on the airline.
A few days before departure, all passengers will receive an Information Pack from the airline giving details about the meeting time and venue of the assembly point. This will include health forms to complete, baggage allowances, onboard safety and hygiene procedures.
All passengers must meet at the assembly point on the day of departure and will be transported from the assembly point to OR Tambo International or Cape Town International Airport by bus.You may not travel directly to the airport yourself.

Please be aware that the price of flight tickets vary as these are calculated to cover both legs of the journey, landing rights and the increased cost of cabin crew. Prices are at the discretion of the airlines.

Available Repatriation Flights

Please note the following flights sell out very quickly and are subject to availability. Flights will only take place provided that the necessary approval is granted by the South African Government.

Air China

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
16 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Shenzhen	TBC
16 Sept 2020	Shenzhen	Johannesburg	TBC
23 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Shenzhen	TBC
23 Sept 2020	Shenzhen	Johannesburg	TBC
30 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Shenzhen	TBC
30 Sept 2020	Shenzhen	Johannesburg	TBC

Air France

Ticket sales are closed for flights departing this week.

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
27 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Paris	18:50

Please note the following:

Flight sales will close 5 days prior to departure.
Bookings are permitted to an onward destination (if there is a connection and availability)
Connect with normal scheduled flights to:

Most major cities in Europe
USA – NYC / ATL / LAX airports only
Canada – YYZ / YVR airports only
Other destinations require a separate ticket
NB: Transits through Amsterdam or Paris are NOT permitted unless you are a US citizen (check exemptions)

British Airways

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
25 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	London Heathrow	11:15
27 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	London Heathrow	11:15

CemAir

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
18 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Dar Es Salaam	10:00
18 Sept 2020	Dar Es Salaam	Johannesburg	15:10
24 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Luanda	08:00
24 Sept 2020	Luanda	Johannesburg	11:30
27 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Lagos	10:00
28 Sept 2020	Lagos	Johannesburg	11:00
28 Sept 2020	Lagos	Johannesburg	11:00
8 Oct 2020	Johannesburg	Luanda	08:00
8 Oct 2020	Luanda	Johannesburg	11:30
10 Oct 2020	Johannesburg	lagos	10:00
11 Oct 2020	Lagos	Johannesburg	11:00
22 Oct 2020	Johannesburg	Luanda	08:00
22 Oct 2020	Luanda	Johannesburg	11:30
25 Oct 2020	Lagos	Johannesburg	11:00

Emirates

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
18 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Dubai	18:30
20 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Dubai	15:30
22 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Dubai	18:30
25 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Dubai	18:30
27 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Dubai	17:30
29 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Dubai	18:30

These flights have onward connections to Emirates’ current network services:

Addis Ababa, Cairo, Dar Es Salaam, Khartoum, Nairobi, Tunis, Boston, Chicago, New York, Toronto, Los Angeles, São Paulo, Washington, Colombo, Dhaka, Islamabad, Kabul, Karachi, Lahore, Auckland, Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, Glasgow, Larnaca, London, Madrid, Manchester, Milan, Munich, Oslo, Paris, Prague, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna, Zurich, Male, Seychelles, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Osaka, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Tokyo, Amman, Baghdad, Bahrain, Basra, Beirut, Tehran and more.

Very important notice on Covid-19 testing for all passengers before departure:

All passengers travelling to Dubai, including those connecting via Dubai, must have a COVID-19 negative test certificate. This excludes children under the age of 12 years and passengers who have moderate or severe disabilities. The test date must not exceed a maximum of 96 hours before departure. Passengers should not be accepted without a test certificate. Click here for a list of South African approved laboratories for COVID-19 clearance certificates.

Ethiopian Airlines

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
16 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Addis Ababa	15:30
18 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Addis Ababa	15:30
20 Sept 2020	Cape Town	Addis Ababa	14:45
23 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Addis Ababa	15:30
25 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Addis Ababa	15:30
26 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Addis Ababa	15:30
27 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Addis Ababa	14:45
30 Sept 2020	Cape Town	Addis Ababa	15:30

These flights have onward connections to Europe, Africa, Asia, the USA and Canada, including Cairo, Bangkok and Tel Aviv.

Kenya Airways

Ticket sales are closed for flights departing this week.

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
20 Sept 2020	Nairobi	Johannesburg	08:45
20 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Nairobi	13:25
27 Sept 2020	Nairobi	Johannesburg	08:45
27 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Nairobi	13:25

KLM

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
19 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Amsterdam	23:10
20 Sept 2020	Cape Town	Amsterdam	18:15
24 Sept 2020	Cape Town	Amsterdam	18:15
25 Sept 2020	Amsterdam	Johannesburg	10:35
25 Sept 2020	Amsterdam	Cape Town	21:50
26 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Amsterdam	23:10
27 Sept 2020	Cape Town	Amsterdam	18:15

Please note the following:

Flight sales will close 5 days prior to departure.
Bookings are permitted to an onward destination (if there is a connection and availability)
Connect with normal scheduled flights to:

Most major cities in Europe
USA – NYC / ATL / LAX airports only
Canada – YYZ / YVR airports only
Other destinations require a separate ticket
NB: Transits through Amsterdam or Paris are NOT permitted unless you are a US citizen (check exemptions)

LAM Mozambique Airlines

Ticket sales are closed for flights departing this week.

Lufthansa

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
23 Sept 2020	Frankfurt	Johannesburg	22:05
25 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Frankfurt	21:00
7 Oct 2020	Frankfurt	Johannesburg	22:05
9 Oct 2020	Johannesburg	Frankfurt	21:00
21 Oct 2020	Frankfurt	Johannesburg	22:05
23 Oct 2020	Johannesburg	Frankfurt	21:00

Lufthansa offers onward flights to other European destinations.

Proflight Zambia

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
18 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Lusaka	TBC
18 Sept 2020	Lusaka	Johannesburg	TBC
23 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Lusaka	TBC
23 Sept 2020	Lusaka	Johannesburg	TBC
25 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Lusaka	TBC
25 Sept 2020	Lusaka	Johannesburg	TBC

Qatar

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
17 Sept 2020	Doha	Johannesburg	11:20
17 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Doha	20:20
22 Sept 2020	Doha	Johannesburg	11:20
22 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Doha	20:20
25 Sept 2020	Doha	Johannesburg	11:20
25 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Doha	20:20

Swiss Air

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
19 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Zurich	19:25
3 Oct 2020	Johannesburg	Zurich	19:25
17 Oct 2020	Johannesburg	Zurich	19:25

Lufthansa offers onward flights to other European destinations, however, unaccompanied minors will only be accepted on direct flights to Zurich.

Turkish Airlines

Date	Origin	Destination	Local Departure Time
20 Sept 2020	Johannesburg	Istanbul	18:30
20 Sept 2020	>Istanbul	Johannesburg	08:00
24 Sept 2020	Cape Town	Istanbul	18:00
24 Sept 2020	Istanbul	Cape Town	06:50

Flights to and from Istanbul offer passengers the convenience of connecting to/from multiple destinations on Turkish Airlines’ existing network.
Through fares will be issued where possible.
Unfortunately, no unaccompanied children may be accepted for these flights.

Please note that flights are subj ect to availability and flight details may change without notice.
Passengers are responsible for ensuring all their documents are in order and that they are authorised to travel.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Inflight entertainment

Some airlines offer their normal inflight entertainment service, some don’t, so please check with us.

Food and alcohol on board

Most airlines serve a cold meal in a box, regular cold drinks, tea and coffee. No alcohol is served. Please note that these meals are not the same as you might expect on a regular flight.

What is my luggage allowance?

This will be on your pre-departure Information Pack emailed to you from the airline.

Can I select my seat?

This option is available on certain airlines during online check-in. Please confirm your seat allocation with your travel agent.

What cabin classes are available?

Most airlines offer both Economy and Business Class cabins. Please note that all meals, regardless of cabin class, are at the discretion of the airline.

Can I check in online?

Most airlines still allow online check-in.

Are lounges and shops open at OR Tambo and Cape Town International?

No, all lounges are closed.

Can I UBER to the airport on the day of departure?

No, you are not allowed to make your own way to the airport. You will be advised of your assembly point and time on the day of departure. Airlines will arrange a bus to transport you from the assembly point to the airport.

For how long do I need to be in quarantine?

Anyone arriving into South Africa must quarantine for 10 days, regardless of a negative Covid-19 test result

Will I know beforehand which quarantine facility I must stay in?

No, government-approved quarantine facilities will be arranged on your behalf. This is dependent on the number of rooms available. The full cost of your mandatory quarantine period is covered by the Government; should you choose to get private testing and incur any further expenses at the facility, this will be for your own account.