Flights FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions, and our answers to them, about flying into and around Africa. If you have other questions, your Africa Safari Travel Expert will be able to answer them.

Can I book my flights through Go2Africa?
What are the weight restrictions when flying to Africa?
What about weight restrictions on chartered flights around Africa?
Can I fly directly to Cape Town, or must I go via Johannesburg?
Which major airlines fly to East Africa?
How many times a week do these flights leave?
How will I receive my ticket?
How will I pay?
Can I reserve a particular seat?
Can I request certain meal types?
Can I request special assistance?
What extras might I be required to pay?
What are schedule changes?
Will you help me retrieve lost luggage?
Do I need to reconfirm my flights?
Can I use my air miles to get a free ticket?
Can I use my air miles to upgrade to business class?
My passport is still in my maiden surname, but I would like to travel in my married surname after our wedding. What do I need to do to make this happen?
Does Johannesburg airport have storage facilities?
Can I send my shopping or excess baggage to my next destination, or back home?

Can I book my flights through Go2Africa?

Yes, Go2Africa can organise all your flights into and around Africa. Please bear in mind that we only sell flights in conjunction with our holiday packages, we do not sell flights as stand-alone bookings.

What are the weight restrictions when flying to Africa?

Weight restrictions vary between airlines, but here are some approximate figures depending on where you're flying from:

If you're flying from Europe, Asia, or Australia, you'll need to keep your total luggage weight below 20kg for Economy Class, 30kg for Business Class and 40kg for First Class.

If you're flying from the USA then you can bring two pieces of luggage, weighing no more than 32kg each when travelling business class, and no more than 23kg each when travelling economy class.

Remember that when travelling in Africa your luggage should weigh no more than 20kg in economy, and 30kg in business class.

What about weight restrictions on chartered flights around Africa?

Weight restrictions on chartered flights vary between chartered flight operators, but passengers are usually restricted to a single soft bag (eg. a duffel bag) of maximum 15 kg.

Check with your Go2Africa Safari Travel Expert, to confirm the weight restrictions on a particular chartered flight.

Can I fly directly to Cape Town, or must I go via Johannesburg?

If you are flying on South African Airways, Lufthansa, or KLM from London, Frankfurt or Amsterdam you can fly directly to Cape Town.

There are no flights from the USA directly to Cape Town, you will need to fly via Johannesburg.

Flights from Perth and Sydney in Australia all fly via Johannesburg to Cape Town.

Unfortunately there are no direct flights from Canada to South Africa, all flights need to go via Europe or the USA. Most flights from other African countries fly to Johannesburg, except for limited flights from Mauritius and Namibia that fly directly to Cape Town.

Which major airlines fly to East Africa?

Due to partnerships made by the major airlines, it is possible to fly from almost anywhere in the world into Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. The airlines with the most regular flight schedules are British Airways, KLM, Kenya Airways and Emirates.

British Airways fly directly from London to Nairobi.

Kenya Airways fly directly from London and Amsterdam to Nairobi, and directly from London to Mombasa.

KLM fly directly from Amsterdam to Nairobi and Kilimanjaro.

There are no direct flights from the USA, Canada or Australia to East Africa. USA and Canadian flights will need to fly via Europe and flights from Australia usually fly via the Far East or Middle East to East Africa.

How many times a week do these flights leave?

Schedules are available on the internet, but should be used as a guideline only as airlines often change these schedules without prior notice or any financial obligation.

Go2Africa's flights team can check flight routes for you, and advise you on the best flight times for your holiday itinerary.

How will I receive my ticket?

Paper tickets are now a thing of the past; instead we will include a copy of your electronic ticket in your document pack, which will be sent to you by courier.

You can also access your electronic ticket on-line using a reference number we will provide.

How will I pay?

You can pay for all flights booked through Go2Africa by using our secure online payment system.

Can I reserve a particular seat?

Yes, we can make a request to the airline on your behalf, and this will be catered to if possible. It is important to remember that airlines do not guarantee seating and that emergency exit seats are only allocated on the day of departure at the airport.

Can I request certain meal types?

Yes, we can notify the airline of your meal preference on your behalf. All meal requests have to be made at least 72 hours prior to departure, however nothing is guaranteed.

Can I request special assistance?

Yes, we can notify the airline of your needs, such as wheelchair assistance, on your behalf.

What extras might I be required to pay?

All extras and taxes are calculated beforehand and included in your ticket price.

However, there are certain government levies that can only be paid in cash at the airport. These charges only apply at some airports, such as Zanzibar and Kilimanjaro International, and vary between U$10 - U$30.

Please check with your African Safari Expert if you should expect to pay these extra airport charges on your holiday.

What are schedule changes?

Schedule changes are changes to flight times made by the airline. Go2Africa will inform you of any changes to your flights booked through us, and will ensure that your itinerary and transfers all connect accordingly.

All scheduled flights booked through Go2Africa can be viewed via the following link: www.checkmytrip.com using the reference number that we provide you with.

Will you help me retrieve lost luggage?

Yes, but lost luggage must be reported immediately to the relevant airline and a reference number obtained. We will need the reference number to follow up on your behalf.

Do I need to reconfirm my flights?

No, if you have booked your flights through Go2Africa our flight department will do this on your behalf.

Can I use my air miles to get a free ticket?

Airlines only allocate a small number of seats for air mile tickets on each flight; therefore it helps to be flexible with your travel dates to take advantage of these limited seats. However, you will still be liable for the airport taxes which are usually a large proportion of the overall ticket price, so even with air miles your ticket will not be completely free.

We recommend that you book the best possible fare available to suit your holiday itinerary and then redeem your miles on other merchandise available to you eg. car rental, accommodation, etc

Can I use my air miles to upgrade to business class?

All airlines require you to purchase a minimum air fare in order to use your air miles to upgrade to business class. This minimum fare is usually much higher than the cheapest economy class fare or seat sale specials you might have been offered initially. This means that you can easily pay three or four times more for your ticket than you expected in order to redeem these miles.

Once you have purchased this expensive ticket your upgrade is not guaranteed as airlines only allocate a certain number of seats per flight for upgrade purposes.

We strongly recommend that if you do not have enough miles for a full ticket, you don't use your air miles for a business class upgrade as your flight could end up costing you a lot more than necessary.

Should you be happy to incur these costs, our Flights Experts can help you purchase upgradable tickets.

My passport is still in my maiden surname, but I would like to travel in my married surname after our wedding. What do I need to do to make this happen?

The name on your ticket must always match the name on your passport. If you want to travel in your married surname, then you will have to have a passport which matches your married surname. Airlines no longer accept the marriage certificate as proof of the name change. You will have to apply for a new passport which must match the name on the flight tickets. If you are unable to obtain a new passport before you travel, you will have to travel in your maiden surname.

Does Johannesburg airport have storage facilities?

Yes. There is a luggage storage depot on the upper level of the underground parkade, near the main lift lobby, in Terminal A. You may leave any baggage at a cost of R50 per item for the first day, and R40 per item every day thereafter. Mastercard and Visa are accepted. Open 24 hours seven days a week. Please contact Luggage Lock-Up on (+27) 11 921 6264

For luggage storage at Cape Town International Airport please contact, Moda Luggage on (+27) 21 936 2342

Can I send my shopping or excess baggage to my next destination, or back home?

Yes. Go2Africa has procured U-Bag (a worldwide unaccompanied baggage shipper) to manage any excess luggage. Their services include collection and delivery to your next destination (whether to home, upon arrival at the airport or your next hotel).

No airline ticket is required when sending within South Africa; Send shopping, wine, curios and more; Track and trace your shipment online; Safe and secure with baggage shrink wrapping and insurance cover at no extra charge. You can contact them on info@u-bag.com or 086 111 8224 (within South Africa). Please quote Go2Africa for preferential rates.

Their offices are located at:

Johannesburg, (14 Willow Street, Rhodesfield, Kempton Park) - open Mondays to Fridays, 07h30 to 18h00, Saturdays, 8h30 - 13h00

Cape Town International Airport (International Departure Hall) - open Mondays-Fridays, 08h30-22h00 and Weekends,13h30-22h00

Durban International Airport (Departures Hall, Swissport Office) - Monday to Friday 8h30 to 17h30.

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