Bags packed, but nowhere to go: Passengers rush to leave South Africa as Omicron variant prompts travel bans
The European Union and other major destinations, including the United States and Canada, have moved to block flights from African countries following the discovery of the new COVID-19 variant
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The OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, South Africa was a scene of chaos and anxiety as people were rushing to leave the country after the Omicron COVID-19 variant was identified, prompting other countries to impose travel bans. Anxious-looking travellers stood in long queues desperate to squeeze onto the last flights to countries that had just shut their doors to South Africa. AP
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News reports stated that flight prices had skyrocketed since Thursday when countries began shutting their doors to passengers from seven African nations, including South Africa. Cost of tickets from South Africa to UK tripled from 9,000 rand (£416) to 28,000 rand (£1,296) within the last 24 hours, according to Google Flights data. AP
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A flurry of nations — including the US, Canada and several European countries — have followed imposed travel bans, concerned about the discovery of a new coronavirus variant, renamed Omicron, with a large number of mutations fuelling an infection resurgence in South Africa
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Travellers voiced concern about the sudden flight bans, with Christian Good, 50, returning to Devon via Frankfurt, saying, “There should have been more notice.” “It’s ridiculous, we will always be having new variants,” his husband David was quoted by the AFP as saying. AP
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Other than flight ticket prices soaring, the cost of the rapid PCR tests being offered at the airport also saw a bump. A test that originally was priced at $52 was now priced at $86. However, the test would now provide results in two hours, a blessing for those who were trying to get out of the African nation. AP
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While only dozens of cases have been identified so far, news of the variant, which has around double the amount of mutations as the Delta variant, is already sparking fears around the world. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned against travel bans, stressing such restrictions are “not a long-term solution” when it comes to managing coronavirus variants. AP
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At the airport, red “cancelled” signs flashed next to London-bound flights listed on the departures board. Other destinations were still in limbo. UK citizen Ruth Brown, 25, who lives in South Africa, summed up the situation at the airport perfectly: “We are tired of this situation.” AP
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