Flight
Maun - Johannesburg
Air Botswana BP 211
Economy Class – BAe-146
Seating Configuration 3-3. Seat 6B
Depart 15:40 Arrive 16:40

There is one check in counter at Maun airport, and the porter from Sefofane charters helped us with check in. We were advised that the incoming flight had come in one hour late, but our flight was on time, however was being routed via Gabarone, as one of the Air Botswana planes was being serviced and they had cancelled the morning flight from Maun to Gabarone.

At security, we lost one of our camera bags on the conveyor belt. There was such a rush, that one of the Sefofane porters had taken it, thinking it was for his client. Good thing we found it on their trolley.

We were one of the last to board the plane, and all the passengers dis-embarking in Gabarone were told that it was free seating for them. The flight was 100% full.

After take off, we were served a packet of Marula sticks (sweet fruit sticks), and then a packet of mixed peanuts and raisins, and then a packet of beef biltong. A drink was also served. Service was quick and efficient.

The flight to Gabarone was around 45 minutes. At Gabarone airport there was a change of crew, and all the passengers for Gabarone dis-embarked. Transit passengers stayed on board. Glasses of water was handed out. After about ½ an hour, we were told that there was a problem with one of the engines, and could not take off. Some passengers were worried, as they had connecting flights to Cape Town, London, etc. After 15 minutes, the Capitan came on the PA, and announced that there was another plane parked behind us that was leaving for Johannesburg, and they had 30 spare seats. Could connecting passengers please move to that plane. It was a free for all, and most passengers on BP 211, and we had to wait by the side of the plane to identify our luggage and throw it into the back of a pick up.

We then got on board a leased Fokker 28 from Interair, operating Air Botswana flight BP 202. The few passengers on board must have got a shock to see us all get on board, and ruin their peaceful flight. I turned out that too many passengers got off BP 211, so some had to be turned back, and have their luggage off loaded.

We finally took off at 5:30 pm. Flight service was exactly the same as BP 211, and we landed in Johannesburg at 6:00 pm. The Captain told us that BP 211 had managed to take off, and was 15 minutes behind us. We parked at a remote stand, and waited for a bus to take us to the terminal building. We ran to immigration, as a flight had just landed from China and we did not want to get stuck behind them. Immigration was quick.

Bags took around ½ hour to come through, and customs as usual was a breeze.