update (08 December 2020): Delta Air Lines has again postponed the launch of its new new year-round non-stop service between Atlanta and Cape Town to 28 March 2021.
update (02 November 2020): Delta Air Lines has postponed the launch of its new new year-round non-stop service between Atlanta and Cape Town to 09 January 2021.
update (05 October 2020): Delta Air Lines has postponed the launch of its new new year-round non-stop service between Atlanta and Cape Town to 14 December 2020.
Major US airline Delta Airlines is planning to start a new year-round non-stop service between Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in Atlanta in Georgia, USA, and Cape Town International Airport (CPT) in Cape Town. On the USA > South Africa leg, the flight will stop at OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) in Johannesburg before continuing to Cape Town. The new route is subject to government approvals, but the airlines hopes to launch flights from 24 October 2020. Delta Airlines will use its flagship Airbus A350-900 on the route, one of the newest and most fuel-efficient aircraft in its fleet. The new routing to Cape Town via Johannesburg replaces Delta's direct service between Atlanta and Johannesburg.
Under alert level three of South Africa's risk-adjusted strategy to manage the spread of COVID-19, only limited domestic flights for business travel have been allowed. International air travel is currently not permitted. While South Africa's Government currently foresees that international commercial flights will only be able to resume in early 2021, the local aviation industry and the tourism industry have been lobbying for flight restrictions to be eased earlier.