SAA urges agents to inform travellers

South African Airways has warned many families could be inconvenienced during the coming Christmas holiday period due to non-compliant documentation.

On June 1 2015, the South African Government legislation stated that additional documentation needed to be provided at check-in when a parent or guardian is travelling with children.

The changes impact both parents and guardians travelling with children under the age of 18, as well as unaccompanied minors travelling alone or in groups, such as for school or sporting excursions, to and from South Africa. It does not apply to transit passengers.

According to SAA’s country manager for Australasia Tim Clyde-Smith, the airline has experienced many recent cases when customers departing from Australia to South Africa do not have the correct documentation. This has resulted in travellers being prevented from checking in and boarding their flights.

“Despite an ongoing education program and communications through travel agents and the industry, too many incidents are happening when customers do not have the correct documentation when they check in to board their flight,” he said.

“The legislation has now been in place for almost four months and applies to all airlines flying into South Africa, not just SAA.

“It means parents travelling into and from South Africa with a child under 18 are required to produce an original or certified copy of a child’s birth certificate detailing both parents.

“Parents or guardians traveling by themselves with children will also need an affidavit less than three months old that has been sworn by a notary public that gives permission to travel with the child or children.”

“It is simply not enough to have a letter from one parent giving permission to travel when only one parent is travelling with children or from one or both when children travel alone. A legal, signed affidavit must be produced as per the act introduced by the South African Government.”

“As well as the inconvenience factor, it means customers face additional costs when they cannot board their booked flights while they source the correct information.”

Clyde-Smith is now calling on the travel industry to ensure their customers have all the correct information when travelling to South Africa, especially in the coming holiday season of Christmas and New Year.

On top of this, Clyde-Smith also warns that travel agents may need to go back through all existing bookings made as far back as 12 months, before the legislation came into force, to check in with clients en route to South Africa.

“We have found many examples of people who made bookings through agents earlier this year are simply unaware of the new requirements,” he added.

More information can be found on SAA’s website.

“We hope the busy holiday period coming up won’t see customers prevented from visiting South Africa for their special holiday or to spend time with family and friends,” Clyde-Smith added.

“We’d urge travel agents to be vigilant in this regard and to work with the industry to avoid heartache at the airport.”

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