Emirates has announced the resumption of daily passenger services to Johannesburg, effective from March 11, 2021, but this service appears to be inbound only.

Flight EK763 leaves Dubai for Johannesburg at 06h05 daily, but the return flight, EK764, leaving at 16h50 daily is designated for cargo only.

The airline says the suspension of passenger uplift from South Africa (JNB, DUR and CPT) to Dubai has been further extended until March 20.

The airline directs potential inbound passengers to take a COVID‑19 PCR test within 72 hours before departure and carry the negative certificate, and to download the COVID Alert South Africa app and complete the traveller health questionnaire before departure. Children under five are exempt from the PCR test.

The airline says: “Due to government entry restrictions imposed on travel from South Africa to/via Dubai, EK flights (passenger flights into Dubai) are cancelled.”

It gives a number of rebooking options for travel from South Africa, at no additional cost to pax, approved until March 31.

Rebooking is permitted only on TK/LH/AF/LX-operated flights in the lowest available booking class within the same cabin at NOADC (e.g original EK route JNB-DXB-CDG can be rebooked to JNB-CDG on AF).

When using OAL options please ensure customers are aware of the necessary travel requirements to transit through the respective countries. 

The endorsement field must be updated with remarks ‘INVOL REROUTE’ when reissuing tickets.

The airline emphasises that passengers who have been in South Africa or connected via South Africa in the last 14 days are not allowed to enter the UAE, whether terminating or connecting onwards, and expresses the hope that this will assist clients stranded across its network.