Air China confirms direct flight to SA

Cape Town – Air China has confirmed it will start flying directly between Beijing and Johannesburg from October 2015.

Air China spokesperson Jane Hu, said the airline will operate three flights a week, code-sharing with SAA.

Flights will depart Johannesburg at 11:50 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, arriving the following day in Beijing at 07:30. Return flights from Beijing will depart at 23:15 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, arriving in Johannesburg at 07:55.

This is the airline’s third attempt to launch flights to South Africa. Its initial March launch date was postponed to August 30 – thereafter the August launch was put on hold after xenophobic violence and new visa rules came into effect in South Africa.  

At the beginning of July Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba addressed the issues caused by the new visa requirements saying, South Africa expects new visa rules for children to dent tourism in the first year they apply, but they will not damage the vital sector long-term.

The rules, aimed at preventing child trafficking, require minors to have an unabridged birth certificate with full details of parents as well as a passport, visa and other documents. They came into force on June 1.

 "We don't think we should be so ambitious as not to expect a drop," Gigaba said.