Airlines cull South Africa routes as virus flares

Several international airlines have streamlined flights to South Africa this week following travel restrictions meant to limit the spread of a new coronavirus variant fuelling a rapid infection resurge. A growing list of countries are limiting travel to and from South Africa since a more transmissible variant of the virus, dubbed 501Y.V2, was announced in December. The new border closures have forced major airlines to either suspend or reduce flights in and out of Africa's most industrialised economy. Emirates this week announced a 13-day halt on all South Africa routes for "operational reasons". KLM said it had to modify its schedules after the Dutch government restricted travel from South Africa to Amsterdam, forcing the company to cancel several flights this week. Lufthansa also told AFP it was "adjusting its flight program" to South Africa to "reduced demand". The curtailing comes amid a worrying resurge in South Africa's coronavirus infections -- widely attributed to 501Y.V2 -- that forced authorities to impose a new set of restrictions in December.<br/>