A general view of downtown Antananarivo and the Mahamasina Stadium construction site (foreground) photographed from the historic site of the Queen's Palace (Rova of Manjakamiadana) on Andohalo Hill on May 22, 2020. (RIJASOLO/AFP via Getty Images)
Madagascar has reportedly banned all flights to and from South Africa for up to three months, according to Johannesburg-based independent airline Airlink.
In a statement released on Friday morning, Airlink said it was disappointed with Madagascar’s decision, which has come just days after the government of the Indian Ocean island state announced it was re-opening its borders starting on Saturday.
Airlink, which separated from beleaguered national carrier SAA in 2020, has the largest regional footprint of any airline currently operating in South Africa. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Airlink operated flights between Johannesburg, Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, and Nose Be, an island off Madagascar’s northwestern coast.
In October, the Malagasy authorities announced the reopening of its borders to tourists flying from Europe and from countries with less than 300 new Covid-19 cases per 100 000 people a week.
Despite the announcement that Madagascar’s borders would reopen this weekend, a statement was issued by Madagascar earlier on Friday which says: “All flights to and from South Africa are prohibited,” according to Airlink.
The announcement is deja vu for South African holidaymakers hoping for an island getaway. In June last year, Seychelles reportedly announced it was ready to welcome all visitors, including from South Africa. It later announced that flights from South Africa were banned.
A month later Mauritius banned flights from South Africa, despite also having announced that it was opening its borders to all vaccinated travellers.
On Friday, Airlink chief executive Rodger Foster reacted to Madagascar’s decision to ban South African flights. “This restriction on flights will be a major disappointment for everyone who wants to travel for business, leisure and to reconnect with relatives and friends who they have been unable to visit for the past two years.”
Foster also called the travel ban a setback for trade between the two countries. “In the past few days since Madagascar said it would be re-open for travel, we have received significant interest from people in South Africa, the island nation, our neighbouring countries and in North America, who are keen to book tickets,” he added.
“This ban and absence of any explanation by authorities in Antananarivo will be a source of great frustration for them.”
Foster appealed to the South African and Malagasy authorities “to expeditiously resolve any issues and differences that may have led to this situation so that relations can be normalised and we can restore our usual air services connecting the two markets”.