Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - Connecting in JNB - will I have to clear customs and immigration?

I am traveling to Namibia in a week with an overnight in Joburg, then flying to Windhoek the next day on a separate ticket. No questions on this leg of the trip. On the return, I fly from Windhoek in the late am, arriving at JNB early afternoon to connect to my evening flight back to the US. Since the WDH-JNB and JNB-IAD are two separate itineraries (tickets), will I have to go through immigration and customs upon arrival at JNB on my return leg?

Thanks,

I am traveling to Namibia in a week with an overnight in Joburg, then flying to Windhoek the next day on a separate ticket. No questions on this leg of the trip. On the return, I fly from Windhoek in the late am, arriving at JNB early afternoon to connect to my evening flight back to the US. Since the WDH-JNB and JNB-IAD are two separate itineraries (tickets), will I have to go through immigration and customs upon arrival at JNB on my return leg?

Thanks,

Not necessarily. Any of the three carriers on the route WDH-JNB should be able to check you (and your luggage) through.

Thanks. That what I was hoping. I'm on SAA from Windhoek and connecting to another SAA flight at JNB. My traveling companions are also on the SAA flight from Windhoek, but are connecting to a Delta flight. I was pretty sure that I would be able to check all the way through, but not so sure about my friends. I guess we'll find out...

Thanks. That what I was hoping. I'm on SAA from Windhoek and connecting to another SAA flight at JNB. My traveling companions are also on the SAA flight from Windhoek, but are connecting to a Delta flight. I was pretty sure that I would be able to check all the way through, but not so sure about my friends. I guess we'll find out...

You won't have a problem at all, neither should your friends have any. SA interlines with DL so unless ground staff is unwilling (which is normally not the case) they should check them through as well.

Flew this route last week on 2 seperate tickets. Flew WDH-JNB with Air Namibia and then onwards to ZRH with LX.
No problem at WDH to get bags checked through to Zurich even with seperate tickets. There is a transfer area that you go to after getting off the flight in JNB (follow signs) and you can get your new boarding pass at the Transfer desk. Even if the desk is not open they will let you into the main departure lounge if you have a printout of your booking. then you can go back down later (desk opens 3hrs before flight) to get boarding pass.
Just go through security - no need for customs and immigration.

Thanks capetonian and soy. Looks like no worries. I had read recently on one of the Lonely Planet threads that someone had to enter the country, then go through immigration again just because they had two separate tickets. It sounded weird to me since I have done this route in the past without having to do the immigration and customs headache, but things change so much these days with security and all I just thought I would check.

Thanks again,

No problem, I've done this several times. You only need to clear customs/immigration if you are continuing on IN South Africa. If your coming from Namibia and then on, no need to clear SA customs.

I will be coming in on BA from Harare and connecting to Air Botswana to Gaborone on a separate ticket. Will I have to clear customs to go outside to recheck in for the flight? Or is there a transfer desk airside that I can use? Am hoping to not have to exit customs and re-enter, but since Air Botswana is so small, who knows!

Do BA flights let customers out into the airside terminal (where shopping/lounges are, etc) or into a sterile arrivals hallway that leads straight to customs?

So what do you think is the minimum amount of time neccessary for this type of connection (international to international) at JNB?

I will be coming in on BA from Harare and connecting to Air Botswana to Gaborone on a separate ticket. Will I have to clear customs to go outside to recheck in for the flight? Or is there a transfer desk airside that I can use? Am hoping to not have to exit customs and re-enter, but since Air Botswana is so small, who knows!

Do BA flights let customers out into the airside terminal (where shopping/lounges are, etc) or into a sterile arrivals hallway that leads straight to customs?

You need to find out if BA will interline your baggage to Air Botswana. If they do, there should be no need to do the immigration / baggage retrieval / customs / check-in / immigration circus. You should then go to the international transfer area and only have the check-in (get the the Air Botswana BP) to worry about.

To answer the second question: You will go into a sterile area which has two choices: immigration or international transfers. No lounges or shops there. Be careful, when I was there last it was easy to miss the sign to international transfers. After you have done the transfer, you are obviously in the Int departures airside area where there are lounges and (lots of) shops.