‘It’s been the same thing for 18 months’: Giovanni Gervasoni 

Giovanni Gervasoni was travelling home to Italy with Lufthansa on 13 December 2021. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)

Giovanni Gervasoni was travelling back home to Venice, Italy, after being in South Africa for a few weeks on business. He told Daily Maverick that Covid-19 has severely complicated his air travel in general, so he has not noticed a substantial worsening since the Omicron variant entered the picture.

“Without Covid, it’s much easier to fly. This time is more complicated, but it’s been the same thing for 18 months more or less.”

For Gervasoni, ticket prices are not the problem, as he believes they may have even become cheaper with fewer people flying. Rather, it is the increased imposition of PCR testing that now accompanies international travel that frustrates him.

“We spent a lot of money this year,” said Gervasoni. “We spent I think over €1,000 each, only for stupid PCR tests.”

Gervasoni explained that a rapid Covid-19 test was required of him at Cape Town International, which was costly, and another would be required when he arrives in Italy today.

While the tests are expensive, Gervasoni is spared the cost of quarantine when he gets home. “I think it’s about 10 days. It’s in our house, so it’s not a big deal.”

Despite the current inconveniences and costs, and indeed risks, of travelling, Gervasoni is not worried about his safety. “I don’t care at all. I don’t care, I’m not afraid. I had Covid this year in February. It’s a big asshole.”

‘I took the last flight home’: Ethel Butlig and Hadrian Valentine 

Hadrian Valentine (left) sees off Ethel Butlig on 13 December 2021. Butlig is travelling home to Canada with Lufthansa. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)

Ethel Butlig, accompanied to the airport by Hadrian Valentine, was about to catch a flight home to Canada. For her, Omicron complicated travel plans. 

She was meant to fly with KLM Airlines last Saturday, but the rise of the variant forced her to change plans after the airline opted not to fly. “They didn’t let me on the flight,” said Butlig. After some confusion and research, she settled on the more convoluted option of flying to Canada with Lufthansa, with a stopover in Germany.

To add to the cost burden, Butlig had to arrange additional accommodation after her stay was extended by a week in light of the cancellation, Hadrian explained. 

Boards above the Air France check-in desks on 13 December 2o21 show that flights for this airline are closed. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)

Hadrian said there had been a lot of anxiety about getting Butlig home, since they were not sure there would be another flight back to Canada. “So it was just a lot of uncertainty throughout the week, and then eventually we found out.”

Underlining the urgency of the situation, Butlig said the KLM alternative was one of her last options. “And this exemption is only, I think, valid until today. So I took the last flight home.”

As far as her personal safety was concerned, Butlig was not too worried. “I don’t think I have any issues travelling during this time. I feel like, I don’t know, I’m comfortable being on a plane.”

She said she would be tested upon arrival in Canada, and placed in a government facility, such as a hotel, until her result was returned. She would be able to go home if it was negative, but would have to be quarantined for 14 days at the facility if it was positive.

“It’s all paid for, I think. I hope. I think it’s most likely paid for,” said Butlig.

“You’re never sure what’s going to happen”: Lisa Thompson 

Lisa Thompson travels home to Canada on 13 December 2021, after visiting family in South Africa. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)

International travel has definitely been a lot more work since the announcement of the Omicron variant – especially in the last few days before leaving the country, according to Lisa Thompson. She was returning to Canada with Lufthansa after visiting family in South Africa.

“We had complications, because [the Canadian government] said come back earlier – at the latest the 13th [December 2021] – so we had to change our booking, and pay $700 more to change the booking,” said Thompson. “Then last night we heard that they actually extended it, and now we’ve already lost a week and paid $700 more.”

The inconsistency around travel restrictions and protocols has been a major challenge, she said.

Boards showing flight departure times flicker above a largely empty airport on 13 December 2021. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)

“You’re never sure what’s going to happen. We’re not 100% sure how long we’ll have to quarantine when we’re back in Canada, how long we’ll have to wait,” explained Thompson. “Will we get a Covid test there again? Will we have to wait a long time for it? Do you organise someone to come and pick you up sooner or later?”

The confusing situation forced travellers to be far more adaptable, she added.

“Coming here, we needed to do testing 72 hours before the flight left. This time, they changed it, after Omicron, to 48 hours.” Having the test so close to their departure flight had been nerve-wracking.

Thompson said that while it was dangerous to travel during the pandemic, she did not view the new variant as “such a big thing”.

‘It’s a bit stressful’: Annie Wigmore 

Annie Wigmore sees her daughter off at the Lufthansa check-in desks in Cape Town International Airport on 13 December 2o21. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)

Annie Wigmore spoke to Daily Maverick while waiting for her daughter to check in for her Lufthansa flight to Canada.

“[My daughter has] been here since the middle of November. Her husband was unfortunately unable to join her because of the travel lockdown, and they’re now having to fly back because this was supposed to be the last flight that they could leave on before they would have had to do a PCR test in a third country,” said Wigmore. 

Keeping the journey to Canada as short as possible is particularly important to Wigmore’s daughter because she is seven months’ pregnant. She was also travelling with her sister and her sister’s children.

“They’ve had to change quite a few [travel arrangements],” said Wigmore. “They weren’t flying Lufthansa to start with – they were flying KLM, which aren’t flying at all. But it’s been quite easy, although costly, to have to change.”

Wigmore said her daughter was still unsure where she would have to quarantine in Canada.

“[T]hey’ve got a domestic flight as well, so they still have to find out if they quarantine when they land, or whether they can first take their transfer flight. It’s a bit stressful. I think they’ve got the mindset that you’ve just got to go with the flow, and deal with what comes along.”

The fact that all those who were flying had been vaccinated meant that Wigmore was not overly concerned about the risks around Omicron.

‘Our country initially locked us out from even returning’: Marty Johnson 

Marty Johnson is flying home to Canada with Lufthansa from Cape Town International Airport on 13 December 2o21. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)

Marty Johnson was heading to Canada, to his home just outside Vancouver, British Columbia, when we caught up with him. Covid-19 and the Omicron variant had stunted his travel plans, with his country even barring his return initially, despite his Canadian citizenship. “That put a screw in things.”

Like Ethel Butlig, Johnson’s preliminary return plans were altered by the variant. 

He was originally going to fly with British Airways and catch a transit flight from London to Canada, and the trip had been confirmed by the airline. Instead, Johnson had to shift gears after finding out that Canada was now accepting foreigners flying with Lufthansa, and paid for an extra ticket and additional PCR tests to board Lufthansa, fly to Frankfurt and catch a connecting flight home. “It’s just been a bit of a cluster-you-know-what.”

As for quarantine back home, Johnson was relatively in the dark. 

“Well, we don’t know yet. We believe that we’re going to be quarantined until we return a negative test on another PCR test,” he said. “That one is going to at least be paid for by the government, not at our expense. But we don’t know what the future holds for us when we touch down in Vancouver; we’ll find out when we get there.”

‘Nobody has helped me, and I’m so confused’: Maria Mwakatima

Maria Mwakatima was intending to board her Ethiopian Airlines flight back to Tanzania, when Daily Maverick chatted to her at the airline’s closed help desk.

Mwakatima, who has travelled with the airline before, said she booked a ticket online and awaited “a confirmation email and a reservation code”, which never came – despite having paid for the flight.

Ethiopian Airlines was one of many to suddenly halt operations amid changing policies in response to Omicron. For Mwakatima, who came to the airport for clarity, the lack of communication from the airline has left her plans mute.

“Nobody has helped me, and I’m so confused,” she said. “I’m not so sure where else to go.”

‘I don’t feel safe… but family and whatnot’: Nicolette Gous

Nicolette Gous travels to Walvis Bay in Namibia from Cape Town International airport on 13 December 2021, using Airlink airline. (Photo: Tamsin Metelerkamp)

Nicolette Gous was about to catch a flight with Airlink to Walvis Bay for the holidays when we caught up with her. For her, the main hurdle in travelling has been the Covid testing process, in addition to “a bit more admin”. She had been “very anxious” while waiting for the results of the test that could make or break her holiday plans.

While Gous described feeling afraid at the possibility of not being able to return to South Africa should the situation worsen, she said it was a matter of prioritising family. “I don’t feel safe… but family and whatnot.”

Gous explained that sticking to the Covid-safe basics, such as wearing masks and sanitising regularly, has been her primary mode of precaution in the wake of the Omicron variant. And as far as a contingency plan was concerned, if the worst came to pass, she was prepared.

“Luckily, we have someone looking after the house, knowing that we might not return. And we have family, so we’ll stay there.”

‘Wear your mask and go about life’: Dana Krotz and Jacob Krotz

Dana and Jacob Krotz were about to head home to the US, “to a little place outside of Chicago”. For them, the challenges of getting home were not too severe, beyond the Covid testing process.

Jacob said the pre- and post-flight tests had to be done within three days of travelling, “so that’s not a big deal”. So long as they “both test negative on the back end”, he was sure they would be fine.

He added that if there was a perk to travelling under these conditions, it was fewer people – “it’s really easy to get around the airport”.

For Dana, health and safety were a matter of personal precaution: “I think you just be smart, you try to keep yourself clean, wash your hands, wear your mask, and go about life.” DM

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