ZAMBIA AIRWAYS ISSUES NEW RULE: JOBURG PASSENGERS MUST HAVE RETURN TICKET

ZAMBIA AIRWAYS ISSUES NEW RULE: JOBURG PASSENGERS MUST HAVE RETURN TICKET

ZAMBIA Airways has issued a mandatory requirement for passengers travelling to Johannesburg to have valid return or onward tickets, which it says is aimed at preventing the airline from incurring losses.

The airline says it has seen an increase in passengers being denied entry by South African immigration due to various reasons, and if that happens, the airline becomes liable for all associated costs.

On October 14, Zambia Airways issued a directive that effective immediately, all passengers travelling to Johannesburg (JNB), excluding South African nationals, must hold a valid return or onward ticket.

“Dear valued travel partner, effective immediately, all passengers traveling to Johannesburg (JNB), excluding South African nationals, must hold a valid return or onward ticket. This directive follows an increase in inadmissible passenger (INAD) cases at JNB and will be strictly enforced at the point of check-in. Only passengers holding a valid return or onward ticket will be accepted for travel to JNB. Passengers traveling on one-way tickets and indicating a return by road must: demonstrate the ability to purchase a return ticket should immigration deny entry, accept full liability for all INAD-related costs, including facility and repatriation charges, [and] sign the attached Indemnity Form prior to travel, confirming understanding and acceptance of these terms. Your strict adherence to these procedures is essential to ensure compliance and avoid inconvenience,” read the notice.

In an interview, Tuesday, Zambia Airways acting commercial manager Emmanuel Chisanga explained that the airline had been footing the bills due to an increase in cases where South African immigration holds or denies entry to passengers for various reasons.

“The challenge has been that there has been an increase in the number of people getting denied admission in South Africa when they arrive there. Maybe because they don’t have a direct return ticket or they don’t demonstrate that they’ve got enough funds to sustain their stay in South Africa. We are just taking precautions. When an airline transports somebody from one country to another and then the immigration of that country does not accept them to enter their country at the airport or even at the border when they’re going by road, the transporting carrier or airline becomes liable,” said Chisanga.

“All the expenses, like in this case, we’ve been having a lot of people lately, so we’re just taking precautions because we’re penalised for transporting people there. [If] the immigration of South Africa does not allow them to enter the country and they are not holding a return ticket, it means we have to fly them back for free.

When the person is taken to a holding room and the plane takes off, it means the airline will have to foot the bills. So, these are precautions that we are just trying to take. Even the South African High Commission called in, and we explained the same thing because even they were surprised that we issued that statement. We don’t want to incur losses as an airline”.

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