Emirates has temporarily suspended all flights to and from South Africa from 16 to 28 January. The last flights will be Friday 15 January.

The airline said in a statement on Thursday , that the suspension is due to operational reasons. It did not provide further details.

“Customers holding tickets with final destinations in South Africa from 16 January to 28 January will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin.

“Emirates regrets any inconvenience caused. Affected customers should contact their travel agent or Emirates contact centre for rebooking options,” it said.

A number of countries have announced travel bans to and from South Africa, citing fears of the new Covid-19 variant discovered in the country.