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JNB / Johannesburg Airport - Connections, Facilities, Layovers, etc.

Old Nov 16, 2015, 3:09 pm
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Last edit by: B747-437B
Guide to JNB (Oliver R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa)


Welcome to the guide to JNB.

If your have any further questions that have not been answered after reading through, please do not hesitate to ask.

Bear in mind that the minimum connection times given below are the shortest connections allowed for tickets on a single PNR. It would be advisable to leave more time than this, particularly if you are arriving during the busy morning period. If you are travelling on two separate PNRs, add on at least an extra hour to the MCTs to allow for whatever delays the Travel Gods may throw at you.

Do note that procedures can change so this guide may not be accurate. If you notice anything has changed or there are any errors, just let me know.


International-Domestic Connection

Minimum connection time: 90 minutes

Once you have deplaned, simply follow the crowd to the immigration hall.
After going through passport control, you will need to collect your luggage and pass through customs irrespective of whether your bags have been tagged through to your final destination.
Exit into the public area and proceed up to departures level by way of the escalators which are opposite and to the left. The escalator can take trolleys.
If your bags have already been tagged through to your destination and you have your boarding passes for the onward domestic flight, you can use fast bag drop.
Otherwise you will need to check-in as normal.
Alternatively, you can use the baggage re-check desks on the left before exiting to the public area (NOTE : These are permanently closed now - Oct 2022).
If you would prefer to avoid the porters and taxi touts in the arrivals halls, there are escalators to the left of these desks which will take you to level 1. From there you will need to go up one more level to reach domestic departures. (NOTE : These escalators are out of service now - Oct 2022).

The domestic terminal is designated as a separate terminal (Terminal B) but do not be confused by this. All the terminals at JNB are under one roof so you barely notice that you are transferring between them.


Domestic-International Connection

If you can interline baggage, you can check it through from your initial departure point to your international destination. Once you land at JNB walk out to exit (ignore signs to go downstairs to baggage reclaim), keep walking through the shops/past the food court, around the atrium and there is a security/emigration point on your front right.

Please see post #106 for an illustrated guide.
[although there is no need to go up the moving walkway and then back down again - just come out of the domestic exit and keep walking straight on that level, which will bring you to the security/emigration point]


International-International Connection

Minimum connection time: 60 minutes

This is where things become a little more tricky.

If you arrive at a jetway, you will see a corridor heading towards International Transfers on the left just before the escalators down to passport control.
If you arrive at a remote stand and are bussed to the terminal, you will see the escalators on the left heading up to International Transfers as you enter the building.
Both these paths are well signposted and there is usually a staff member shouting out "International transit" and waving a sign to direct passengers.
When you go down the corridor, there is a transit immigration point before the transfer desks. Typically the wait here is 1-3 minutes, very much quicker than 'normal' immigration.
Your passport will be stamped with a "TRANSIT" stamp here even though you do not enter the country, and you must ensure that you have the required blank pages otherwise you may not be permitted to continue your transit and instead sent back to your originating point.

A few meters beyond the immigration checkpoint is the main transit information area which have desks for all the international airlines and handling agents.
If your bags have already been tagged through to your final destination, ensure that you give your connecting airline the tag numbers at this time so that they can verify them in their system.
If the tag numbers are not re-verified, they will not be loaded without manual intervention. This is not required if connecting from SAA to SAA flights however.

If your bags have not been tagged through, you will need to find a member of staff in International Transfers from your arriving airline.
Ask them to get one of their baggage services staff to pull your bags off the belt manually and coordinate with staff from your onward airline to retag them to your final destination.

This is a rather convoluted process and can take a long time.

Therefore, if your bags cannot be tagged all the way through, it is advisable to pass through immigration, collect your bags at baggage reclaim and clear customs.
After you clear customs but before you exit to the public area (the exit is a set of sliding doors on your right), you will see a series of baggage re-check desks on your left.
Proceed to these desks since they often have smaller queues and have your bags re-tagged.
Then head up the escalators to your left (do not exit the main doors into the public area) which emerge on the departures level.
Turn right when facing the Vodacom store and the departures security checkpoint is right in front of you.

You can do the entire transit and enter/exit South Africa in less than 5 minutes if your bags come out quickly.

If time permits, the safest option is to clear customs and re-check your bags as described above rather than rely on the interlining system at JNB.

Have a look at post #9 of this thread for pictures.

Originally posted by Ambassador BA304.

Luggage storage

This is taken from the whyjoburg.com web site (April 2016):

BagPort South Africa, the original company that provided a luggage storage service at OR Tambo International Airport, has changed its name.

It now operates as Ateck - from the same premises down the escalators at the main exit of Terminal A arrivals, on Basement Level 1, going towards the Parkade 2 (South).

Costs are : (NB : CASH ONLY! No Cards Accepted.)
0-5 hours: R70.00
6-12 hours: R80.00
12-24 hours: R90.00
24 hours or more: R90.00 per day.

Open 24 hours, every day of the year.

Contact details :
Tel : +27 (11) 390 2689
http://www.a-teck.co.za/or-tambo-airport-store-teck/
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JNB / Johannesburg Airport - Connections, Facilities, Layovers, etc.

Old Jun 29, 2011, 11:49 am
  #46  
 
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Originally Posted by Aldarion
Tomorrow I'm flying on SAA from JFK to JNB; arriving at 8:35 AM and need to catch another SAA flight on to LLW (Malawi) at 10 AM. I will have one carry on with me and since I'm on SAA the whole way my checked luggage should be tagged to go all the way to Lilongwe when I drop it off at JFK. I will be departing from Terminal B at JNB for the flight to LLW; my tickets are unclear about which terminal my flight from JFK arrives at. I already have my boarding passes for both flights printed; do you think that 1 hour 25 mins will be sufficient to make my connection? From what the previous posts say, it sounds like I just need to dash to the international transit desk, show my passport and boarding pass, and continue on to my gate. Is that correct or do I need to wait in line at customs or immigration at some point as well?
SAA uses the same terminal at JNB for all international flights. When you exit from the JFK flight, look for the signs that say "International transfer" (or maybe International Transit), and follow that sign. You'll go through a passport check (but not immigration control) and a security check, and you'll then be in the departure area of the international terminal. Find and head to your departure gate for Lilongwe, and you'll be set.

The whole procedure is not likely to take more than 15-20 minutes after you get off the plane from JFK (or possibly 30 mins, if you are parked at a bus gate).
wideman is offline  
Old Jul 31, 2011, 4:49 am
  #47  
 
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Sorry to bump this thread but I didn't think it really warranted a new one.

I'm not entirely sure how it works at this airport. I have a flight from LHR to VFA going via Johannesberg. I want to take a sum of money with me that is higher than the amount that South Africa allows you to bring into the country. Am I correct that as I won't actually be leaving the airport, that I can just ignore that and take above the amount?
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Old Jul 31, 2011, 7:01 am
  #48  
 
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Originally Posted by revelvia
Sorry to bump this thread but I didn't think it really warranted a new one.

I'm not entirely sure how it works at this airport. I have a flight from LHR to VFA going via Johannesberg. I want to take a sum of money with me that is higher than the amount that South Africa allows you to bring into the country. Am I correct that as I won't actually be leaving the airport, that I can just ignore that and take above the amount?
No, you will not be leaving the airport and I don't believe you'll have a stop for customs either. You will go through security though so mind how you pack/store/protect/hide said wad of money.
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Old Aug 2, 2011, 7:54 am
  #49  
 
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Reviving the thread.

I will go SA MPM-JNB-FRA-VIE on Aug 13.

Now, MPM-JNB, same terminal, 1h10 connection time.
Will it suffice?

I had a terrible experience last week, flying MPM-JNB on TM and my one bag of 10kg that needed to be checked-in (no more than 7Kg in TM for handluggage...) just disappeared nowhere to be seen again...

Compensation.. yeah right
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Old Aug 12, 2011, 3:31 am
  #50  
 
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Yes, 70 min. is enough in JNB for international connections.
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Old Oct 13, 2011, 10:16 pm
  #51  
 
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Just want to confirm the experience mentioned at the beginning of this thread concerning the passport pages. You only need 2 per each entry permit granted? I am flying JFK-JNB-MRU on SAA and may be flying MRU-JNB on BA and then JNB-CPT on SAA. In that scenario, I would only need two pages for South Africa right?

Also, if in that scenario, I have 1h20m between MRU and CPT in JNB...is that pushing it even if I have no checked baggage? Can I check in for JNB-CPT online? That's more or less my only option at this point that is within my budget, so I might just dump Mauritius off my trip and do something else or buy a separate open jaw ticket to Namibia, which is cheaper than the one way MRU-JNB-CPT anyhow.
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Old Oct 14, 2011, 12:35 am
  #52  
 
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Originally Posted by kahuna613
Just want to confirm the experience mentioned at the beginning of this thread concerning the passport pages. You only need 2 per each entry permit granted? I am flying JFK-JNB-MRU on SAA and may be flying MRU-JNB on BA and then JNB-CPT on SAA. In that scenario, I would only need two pages for South Africa right?
Yes, the stamps you get in these days do not even cover half a page as shown on the picture, but the two-pages-rule for South Africa is vigorously enforced at boarding points all over the world.

Also, if in that scenario, I have 1h20m between MRU and CPT in JNB...is that pushing it even if I have no checked baggage? Can I check in for JNB-CPT online? That's more or less my only option at this point that is within my budget, so I might just dump Mauritius off my trip and do something else or buy a separate open jaw ticket to Namibia, which is cheaper than the one way MRU-JNB-CPT anyhow.
1h 20m with hand luggage only is ok. You can check-in online for JNB-CPT and print the BP 24 h before departure.
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Old Oct 15, 2011, 10:16 am
  #53  
 
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Question

I am flying from Nelspruit-JNB on Jan 1 and arrive JNB about 6pm and next day at 2pm fly on SAA to Lagos- so less than 24 hrs in Johannesburg. Will I be able to check in and check my bags for my JNB-Lagos flight on Jan 2 when I arrive on Jan 1?
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Old Oct 15, 2011, 12:13 pm
  #54  
 
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Originally Posted by naxos
I am flying from Nelspruit-JNB on Jan 1 and arrive JNB about 6pm and next day at 2pm fly on SAA to Lagos- so less than 24 hrs in Johannesburg. Will I be able to check in and check my bags for my JNB-Lagos flight on Jan 2 when I arrive on Jan 1?
It might be possible in theory, but checking bags overnight in JNB is definitely not recommended! A friend of mine had her baggage delayed 24 hours when connecting in JNB, it was opened in JNB and random things were missing, you'll find many similar reports here on FT.
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Old Oct 16, 2011, 4:58 am
  #55  
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Originally Posted by jarino
It might be possible in theory, but checking bags overnight in JNB is definitely not recommended! A friend of mine had her baggage delayed 24 hours when connecting in JNB, it was opened in JNB and random things were missing, you'll find many similar reports here on FT.
I completely agree. The less time your luggage spends in the innards of JNB, the better!
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Old Oct 17, 2011, 11:47 am
  #56  
 
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Originally Posted by thijsseh
I completely agree. The less time your luggage spends in the innards of JNB, the better!
+1
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Old Oct 24, 2011, 9:58 pm
  #57  
 
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We will be transferring in JNB on our way to ACC, and have something like 8 hours (9a - 5p) to spare there. Should we get out of the airport to see/do something? Since we are technically "transferring", I assume we don't need to worry about luggage? We don't need visa to get in, so that shouldn't be an issue (unless it takes forever to get in and then out of immigration). Any thoughts?
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Old Oct 28, 2011, 1:38 pm
  #58  
 
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8 hours are too long to stay at the airport, you could take the Gautrain to Sandton and spend the time there.

Last edited by jarino; Oct 28, 2011 at 1:53 pm
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Old Nov 8, 2011, 9:54 am
  #59  
 
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Originally Posted by jarino
Yes, the stamps you get in these days do not even cover half a page as shown on the picture, but the two-pages-rule for South Africa is vigorously enforced at boarding points all over the world.



1h 20m with hand luggage only is ok. You can check-in online for JNB-CPT and print the BP 24 h before departure.
Cool, thanks...and I need to specifically look for the international transfers area and not follow the people who are terminating in Johannesburg, correct? Does SAA have mobile boarding passes available for JNB-CPT?
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Old Nov 10, 2011, 4:24 am
  #60  
 
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Originally Posted by kahuna613
Cool, thanks...and I need to specifically look for the international transfers area and not follow the people who are terminating in Johannesburg, correct?
No, coming from MRU and going to CPT, you'll need to clear immigration and customs in JNB. Once outside the secure area, go to domestic flights in terminal B.
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