South African Airlines to impose new child entry requirements
The International Air Transport Association has warned that a decision by South Africa to tighten up entry requirements for passengers travelling with children will hit airline profits.
South African Airways has this week agreed to comply with the new regulations, which are designed to combat child trafficking.
The new rules, which come into force from October 1, require parents to show birth certificates for children under 18 showing the names of both parents.
Minors travelling with one parent must have an affidavit of consent from the absent parent, a court order granting full parental responsibilities or legal guardianship of the child, or the death certificate of the absent parent.
The affidavit should be no more than three months old, from date of travel.
IATA said although the rules are "well intentioned", they might stop people travelling to the country and would therefore hit the profitability of affected airlines.
The move has also been bitterly opposed by BARSA, the Board of Airline Representatives in South Africa, which said it would cause mass confusion and disruption to tourists and air travellers globally.
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has already delayed the start-date of the contentious move from July 1.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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