SAA Welcomes Minister's Transit Visa Decision
The South African Airways (SAA) has welcomed the decision by Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, to remove the requirement for passengers travelling through South Africa to apply for a transit visa. In a statement yesterday, the airline said it had long been a supporter of the \"South to South\" initiative to encourage trade and investment between the South East Asian, South American and South African markets. The transit visa policy has, in the past, hindered this initiative by creating obstacles for business people requiring fast turnaround times on new ventures and business opportunities. SAA said it also felt the impact of the policy with reduced load factors. Passengers chose to travel through alternate destinations rather than South Africa, to avoid the inconvenience and delays, caused by the transit visa applications as well as the additional expense. Routes particularly affected were South East Asia, Hong Kong and India. \"This is a win-win decision, in that we at SAA will see the improved passenger numbers on our aircraft, with the country experiencing the benefits of strong South to South cooperation,\" said CEO Khaya Ngqula.