Need to get to George (to drive to Knysna) after arriving at JNB in early November. Staying at a house I always rent, but I have to be there (Knysna) by 18:00.
US passport holder. Arriving at 10:00 am from Doha on Qatar in business class. There's an 11:50 flight on Mango to George, and the next one is at 14:35 (arriving at 16:30). I think the 14:35 flight won't get me to the house on time - I'll have to collect bags and rent a car at George, and I don't think I could even make it out of the airport before 17:00. The caretaker has a long commute home and I wouldn't ask her to stay longer waiting for me.
I'm looking at incoming flights around 10 am, and I see a flight from Windhoek at 09:30, Blantyre at 09:50, and Paris at 09:55.
I've flown through JNB twice before, and know that immigration can take some time. But I figure I'll be one of the first off the plane coming from business (I reserved a seat in row 2), I usually pass a lot of people heading towards immigration just by walking quickly, and I know the layout of the airport and exactly where I need to go to drop off my bags at the Mango counter. (I'm the kind of guy who is comfortable going into Hong Kong on a 4 hour layover, and I don't dilly dally...)
My choices are book the 11:50 or stay the night in Johannesburg and go out the following morning. Sure, I could take the later flight and spend the night in George, but I think I'd prefer just to stay in Jozi, maybe rent a car and check out the jacarandas in Pretoria, and have a great dinner somewhere in Sandton or Rosebank instead.
What do you say? Try for the 11:50 or wait until the following morning? (I understand if I miss the flight I have no recourse and have to buy a new ticket...)
Thank you!