South Africa is reportedly in talks with Russian airline Nordwind Airlines about launching direct flights from Moscow to Johannesburg and Cape Town. However, the plans could suffer setbacks due to the fact that Nordwind is sanctioned by both the US and the European Union, which has raised questions about the safety of its Boeing and Airbus fleets.
South Africa’s ambassador to Russia, Mzuvukile Jeff Maqetuka, told the Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik that the country was waiting for Nordwind’s decision on whether it intends to fly the South African route with the idea of launching four non-stop flights per week, including one to Cape Town to boost Russian tourism.
“Our transport department discussed Aeroflot flights with the Russian transport ministry, then we were informed that it had been decided that it would be Nordwind,” Maqetuka said as reported by CH-Aviation.
However, according to Daily Maverick, South African Department of Transport stated that it has not received any application from Nordwind to start the Russia-South Africa route.
“The National Department of Transport has not received any application from Nordwind to start a Russia-South Africa route. Should Nordwind submit such an application, normal processes would be followed,” South African Department of Transport told Daily Maverick.
However, it did not respond to questions about whether the country was still in talks with Nordwind about launching the route.
Before commencing the South African route, Nordwind or any other Russian operator would need to demonstrate to the South African Civil Aviation Authority that its aircraft are airworthy and being maintained according to the latest guidelines issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and the US Federal Aviation Administration.
The EU and US sanctions against Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine prohibit the export of aircraft, spare parts, and other safety-critical equipment, as well as the provision of technical support, including maintenance data, air navigation database updates, and flight training.
Nordwind is reportedly subject to these sanctions and does not have access to the latest maintenance revisions, meaning it may not be allowed to fly to South Africa.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has previously expressed serious concerns about the safety of the Western-built fleet in Russia, due to the ban on access to spare parts and maintenance support.
