BardLucyHumeXI

We're flying on BA64 from NBO this Wednesday at 23:25. We leave Zanzibar that day, and have the choice of landing at 18:20 or 21:15 on Kenyan Airways.

I'm pretty sure we won't be able to check our bags for both flights in Zanzibar, so we're going to take the cautious option. We would probably just about make it through immigration, bag collection and back through the front door in 2 hours 10 minutes, but I don't think it's worth the risk, do you?

KQ321

If you were travelling on one ticket, so you could be sure that a) you could check your bags in in ZNZ for ZNZ-NBO-LHR, and b) if the KQ flight was so delayed that you missed the connection, then the airlines would have to look after you, then the 21:15 arrival should be fine.

However, as it sounds like you're travelling on two separate tickets, then the 18:20 arrival would seem a wiser choice. KQ have an interline agreement with BA, but if they refused to check your bags through, then getting through immigration in Nairobi, collecting your bags, and getting back to BA check-in before it closed could be a challenge. And, if the KQ flight was delayed significantly, then you would miss the BA flight - with neither airline obliged to assist you.

BardLucyHumeXI

Update for future reference:

We've just checked into the earlier flight in Zanzibar with Precision Air. They asked if we were going further than Nairobi and offered to check our bags to London without us asking, and looked a bit surprised when we said no thanks! (We're going to get changed in Nairobi, and with time to kill we thought we might as well transit the bags ourselves to be sure it's done.)

KQ321

Thanks for the update. It’s good to know that PW will interline bags onto BA, even on separate tickets.

However, even with this, personally I’d be hesitant to risk a 2h10 connection in NBO on entirely separate tickets (which aren’t even on the same/related airlines). Even if baggage is checked through, if the PW flight was delayed such that the BA flight was missed, neither airline would have any contractual responsibility to sort things out. Unless the second ticket was fully flexible, I’d feel more comfortable with the earlier connection.

I hope the rest of your journey went well – and you didn’t find the extended wait in NBO too tedious...

RGW2

I am planning a trip that includes a Paris-NBO-JRO leg. Only a 50 min layover in NBO but only carry-on luggage. Do I need to get a Kenya visa if I am only passing through the airport? Don't have to go through immigration in that case?

Thanks

roadwarriorafrica

No need for a Kenya visa. When you land, at the bottom of the stairs to the aircraft, there will be a person with a sign for Transfer passengers. They will take you to through security, airside for your next flight to JRO.

RGW2

Thanks roadwarrior - appreciate it.

fischi

I've noticed, when making transfers at NBO, that the ground personnel on landing are not always great about clearly directing passengers. You will likely disembark on to the tarmac and be directed to a bus that drives to the temporary arrivals terminal. If the plane is near the departure terminal you should not board the bus, but rather walk to the cement ramp up to the departure terminal (you probably won't be the only one so you can follow the leader). If your plane disembarks further out, everyone boards the bus and they make a stop near the ramp and let you out there. But they don't always clearly announce the purpose of the stop, so you should just take care to pay attention. When I have transited NBO, I have walked up to the second level of the departures terminal - no passport control, no security check until you enter your gate for the flight. If you aren't aware, there are no facilities inside the gate areas, so depending on how much time you have, you will probably want to delay entering at the gate until you really need to. Enjoy your trip.

B747-437B

They are always happy to let you back out of the gate area if you need to buy something or use the restroom, but you will be security re-screened when you want to go back inside though.

Prism

Dear all,

I have also booked a transit flight (it´s one ticket):
MUC - AMS (KLM)
AMS - NBO (KLM) arrival at NBO: 08.10 pm (4. Oct 15)
NBO - TNR (Kenya Airways) departure from NBO 11.40 pm

Therefore, I have around 2 hours (like in Amsterdam) for transfer in Nairobi. I think, this should be enough, if I check my luggage through, but seems to be very sporty (post #8), if I have to do it myself (of course not, if the queues are short, as the airport seems to be small (#2, 10 ...), but I don´t want to trust in "short queues").

I am confident, that my luggage will succeed the first stop, as there are 2hours and it´s the same flight company. However, as I read all your comments before (and also on other websites), I get a little concerned, that my luggage might NOT arrive in Madagascar with me. I have one day there, before my tour starts (so, one day to compensate for "late-arrival-luggage"), however, I would really prefer (of course ) to get my luggage for the tour as I plan to do a backpacker´s trip (therefore, my luggage is a backpack, not a suitecase, which might be relevant due to special check-in?).

My first question would be, if there is any update about the airport situation (e.g. is there still no "waiting room" available and you have to sit on the floor (#14), until your connection flight arrives?).

As fas as I understood, the luggage should go through, however do they now have such "on-time-luggage-control-possibilies" as mentioned before (e.g. #3)? If not, in #10 was recommanded to ask at the boarding gate (however, I wonder, HOW they should know, if there is no electronicall monitoring - I am pretty sure, they won´t walk away just to check, if my backpack is in the plane But, of course, I will give it a try!)?

I am kind of confused now for the transit: #21 said, there is a person waiting to "collect" transit passengers. But #23 mentions, that there is not always a (reliable) person waiting and you should try to avoid a bus? Sorry, as I am not a native-speaker, I might have misunderstood something? Is it probably the best, to ask which way I should go and then follow the leads (or is that risky as in some countries, people would answer anything rather than being "unpolite" and not "helping"?)

I personally would prefer to take my luggage and do the check-in myself to make sure, my luggage is on the same plane than me. However, I once nearly missed a conncetion flight (we HAD to do the check-in ourselfes and we ran (!) through the halls with bulky baggage to the special check-in (of course on the other site of the halls...) and I had to partly jump the queue for security check, no time to take my belt or my shoes back on, but we reached the plane tight, where I had time to "dress up" again ). So, 2.5hours seem to be not really enough time for a relaxed re-check-in of luggage in Nairobi.

I am sorry for (writing/ grammar...) mistakes; I hope, you can still understand, what my questions/concerns are.

I am very grateful for your time reading my (long) post and your supportive answers!

Thank you very much in advance,
all the best,
prism

Sabasi

Don't sweat it.

Palal

If you have the choice of checking luggage through - do it

roadwarriorafrica

Your luggage will be checked all the way through from MUC to TNR. 90%+ chance it will make it.

There are now seating areas, as well as a food court, etc., in the new terminal. When you get off your flight from AMS, more then likely at an airbridge, so just follow signs for transit. If there is no air bridge, the transfer buses drop passengers off at the transit gate, and then at the arrivals gate. Just listen to the announcements in English, French and Mandarin.

NBO has become an easier airport to navigate now.

Prism

Thank you all and especially roadwarriorafrica very much for the information!

It is very good for me to know, that the "luggage-success-rate" is so high! I avoided to flight through/over (?) Paris, as I read, that there occur a lot of luggage-problems (my familiy "warned" me, better not to fly CDG).

I decided, that 2.5 hours is too short time for me to check-in my luggage by myself. I just stared reading about Nairobi airport some time after I booked my ticket, when the topic came up. Then I got kind of nervous, that´s why I asked for the current situation.

Now I know, it is "safer" to do all check-ins by yourself (there is always room for improvment to my travel experiece ).

For the coming soon travel, I try to get all I can and what is most neccessary (like second pair of clothing, malaria prophylaxe, mosquito net...) in my carry-on and to only have "dangerous/forbidden" items (knife, liquids in larger bottles...) together with "luxury" items (like a little more underware, additional t-shirts, bigger travel towel, silk inlet as sleeping bag, several meds I took in case I might get ill as there are not pharmacies everywhere...) in my backpack.

Thank you also for a detailed description of the "transit process" - now I can better picture, what (and what not - like seats) I have to expect!

Have a nice day/evening,
prisma

Prism

ups, I misread your comment roadwarrior!

There are NOW not NO seating areas! Sorry for that - as I am not a native speaker and it might have been already late when I answered, I misunderstood (and my comment makes therefore partly no sense). Good, I read it again