CAPE TOWN, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Authorities have confirmed global flight disruptions and cancellations at South African airports due to escalating tensions in the Middle East and related airspace closures.
In a statement on Sunday, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), the state-owned airport authority, said the UAE airspace closure has directly affected carriers such as Emirates and Qatar Airways.
ACSA detailed the scale of the disruptions across major airports. At O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, eight flights were cancelled -- seven outbound and one inbound. Cape Town International Airport recorded four outbound cancellations, while King Shaka International Airport in Durban reported two outbound cancellations.
"Passengers are strongly advised to contact their airlines or relevant embassies directly for the latest flight schedules and status updates," ACSA said, adding that it "remains committed to the safety of all travelers, and our thoughts are with those impacted by these disruptions."
Earlier, Cape Town Tourism issued a travel advisory confirming global flight disruptions linked to Middle East airspace closures. Travelers were urged to verify arrangements before heading to airports and to contact airlines or travel agents for rebooking and assistance.
Authorities have not indicated when normal flight operations will resume, as tensions in the Middle East show no immediate signs of easing. ■
