SOUTH AFRICA. Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has announced the reopening to the public of main terminal buildings at three major airports in the country.
Access requirements have been eased at O. R. Tambo International, Cape Town International and King Shaka International airports with the major aim of stimulating business in retail stores, restaurants and among other concessionaires. These businesses have benefited from rental relief during the restricted period.
Entrance to terminals was restricted from 27 March, since when COVID-19 protocols have required that only passengers in possession of a ticket be given access to the buildings. The easing of restrictions follows the South Africa Department of Transport revising regulations to grant general access to the terminals on 3 December.
Fundi Sithebe, Chief Operating Officer of ACSA, said the move is part of a process of the gradual easing of restrictions that the company has followed since domestic flying restarted in June.
Meanwhile, general terminal access for regional airports including Port Elizabeth International, East London, George, Bram Fischer International, Kimberley, and Upington will not be opened immediately.
Due to capacity constraints at regional airports and the difficulty for people to adhere to physical social distancing when running at full capacity, ACSA said the decision to open for non-travellers will be reviewed at a later stage.
Sithebe said: “We are pleased to be able to further relax the restrictions. This will benefit passengers and their friends and families. The change in terminal access requirements also provides the opportunity for airport retailers, restaurants and other concessionaires to begin recovering from the devastation their businesses have suffered since 27 March.
“While ACSA has implemented rental relief and other steps for airport retailers and concessionaires, we believe the time is right to take further steps to support their recovery.”
The company added that it anticipates that passenger volumes in the upcoming holiday season will be considerably greater than experienced in the months since June, particularly as more airlines will be operating domestically during this period.
“It is certainly safe to fly, but the constrained economic circumstances of many South Africans mean that domestic air travel will perhaps be about half of what it was in the 2019 holiday season,” Sithebe said.
She continued: “For international travel, the change in Level 1 regulations is most welcome and our international airports are geared to facilitate more passengers from other countries. However, we recognise that the countries that are our greatest sources of tourists are experiencing significant increases in COVID-19 infections and it may be challenging for people to travel from those countries.”
ACSA emphasised that masks, hand sanitisation and physical distancing will be enforced in terminal buildings for all entrants, including at retail, food and car hire outlets. Temperature screening and sanitisation will take place at entrances to terminals.
