Budget carrier Ryanair says the questionnaire is in response to high prevalence of fake South African passports. Photo / Kevin Hackert, Unsplash
Budget carrier Ryanair says the questionnaire is in response to high prevalence of fake South African passports. Photo / Kevin Hackert, Unsplash
Ryanair's decision to 'test' the nationalities of passengers flying on South African passports has been accused of being racially discriminatory, as well as highly flawed.
The budget airline has begun asking South African passengers to answer a "simple questionnaire" in the Afrikaans language to prove their citizenship. The airline claimsthis is in order to tackle the "high prevalence" of passengers travelling on fraudulent passports.
"If they are unable to complete this questionnaire, they will be refused travel and issued with a full refund," said a statement seen by Reuters.
The Afrikaans-language questionnaire asks passengers the name of the currency, current president and highest mountain in South Africa, among others.
The new requirement came about following a warning from the South African Department of Home Affairs that it was aware of syndicates selling fake passports.
However the unorthodox method by which the Irish airline aimed to prove passenger nationality has been heavily criticised by South Africans and others.
Afrikaans is just one of eleven recognised national languages and is used by just 12 per cent of the population and has historical links to the apartheid. It was the 'official' language until 1994 and the end of white minority rule.
The budget airline said the test would be taken by any South African passport holder flying to Britain or Ireland from Europe on the carrier.
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Many claim the questionnaire was discriminatory and used to "racially profile" non-white Africans. Others said that the airline's questionnaire belonged to an "apartheid 2.0".
Bemused South African passengers who were tested said that the questions were simple, in spite of having limited knowledge of the language.
Lawyer Zinhle Novaziwho flew to Gatwick from Ibiza told Reuters she was "able to answer the questions", in spite of not using the language since her school lessons.
The UK High Commission in South Africa said that this was not an official requirement to enter the country, as an independent requirement established by the airline.
