Originally Posted by
thijsseh
That does not necessarily explain it. In many (most?) airports, there is a transfer desk airside where they will issue you your onward BP without going through immigration. I have never done an Int. transfer at JNB, so I dont know if such a facility exists. If it does not, it surely should!
Sorry for the late response to this question, forgot to check/follow-up on this thread - yes, this was a shock to me as well. I had previously transited thru JNB without this - maybe something new with the airport configuration?
I arrived via bus from the aircraft (as I had in the past) - they used to drop off right out side the transfer desk area (about mid-terminal). You just went straight in to the transfer desk.
Now the bus drops you at the end of the terminal (I want to say near the bus gates ~A15-A24 - something like that). You enter the terminal and the signs point towards Int'l transfers. You walk & walk (maybe 250M) and then they have immigration desks blocking the hall. You must (or are supposed) show passport & boarding pass. As I did not have mine - they just asked what flight I arrived on, and where I was connecting to.
And they definitely stamped my passport - the stamp says "Transit". Then walk another 100 M or so to the transfer desks.
I came thru 1 week later on another cnx WDH-JNB-LBV, with a boarding pass this time, and it was the same drill, including stamping the passport with the "Transit" stamp.
Just FYI...