(Seychelles News Agency) - The Seychelles’ national carrier, Air Seychelles, plans to resume flights to Johannesburg, South Africa as of September 24, the airline announced on Tuesday.

The return of Air Seychelles to South Africa comes after the local Ministry of Health lifted travel restrictions between the two countries. Commercial flights had been suspended for several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sandy Benoiton, acting chief executive of Air Seychelles, told SNA that "we are very pleased that as part of our airline's recovery and network restoration, Air Seychelles from this September will be resuming its services to Johannesburg.”

The twice-weekly flights will depart the Seychelles International Airport on Fridays and Sundays. Two late evening services departing from Johannesburg on Saturdays and Sunday afternoons to Seychelles have also been added to the schedule.

“Despite the unprecedented environment, so far we are satisfied with the interest being built on this route and we remain committed to meeting market demands so as to provide travellers more choice and convenience when planning their travel,” said Benoiton.

All travellers to South Africa must produce a negative PCR test taken within the previous 72 hours, must download the COVID Alert South Africa app in addition to completing the Entry Screening Traveller Health Questionnaire available at www.airports.co.za before departure from Seychelles.

Travellers from Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, must provide proof of accommodation and their addresses in South Africa including their COVID-19 travel insurance.

For inbound travel, besides the negative PCR test, the completed Health Travel Authorisation approval submitted at the seychelles.govtas.com must also be presented upon check-in prior to departure from Johannesburg.

During their stay in Seychelles, as is the case for other visitors, travellers from South Africa will have to reside in a certified tourism establishment with no minimum length of stay in the first establishment.

At the moment visitors from Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Nepal and Pakistan remain on the restricted list for entry into Seychelles. Visitors from those countries can only travel to Seychelles if they have spent 14 days in another country.

Air Seychelles is also expected to resume flights to neighbouring Mauritius as of October 3.