Nov 16, 2015, 3:09 pm
Last edit by: B747-437B
Guide to JNB (Oliver R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa)
Welcome to the guide to JNB.
If your have any further questions that have not been answered after reading through, please do not hesitate to ask.
Bear in mind that the minimum connection times given below are the shortest connections allowed for tickets on a single PNR. It would be advisable to leave more time than this, particularly if you are arriving during the busy morning period. If you are travelling on two separate PNRs, add on at least an extra hour to the MCTs to allow for whatever delays the Travel Gods may throw at you.
Do note that procedures can change so this guide may not be accurate. If you notice anything has changed or there are any errors, just let me know.
International-Domestic Connection
Minimum connection time: 90 minutes
Once you have deplaned, simply follow the crowd to the immigration hall.
After going through passport control, you will need to collect your luggage and pass through customs irrespective of whether your bags have been tagged through to your final destination.
Exit into the public area and proceed up to departures level by way of the escalators which are opposite and to the left. The escalator can take trolleys.
If your bags have already been tagged through to your destination and you have your boarding passes for the onward domestic flight, you can use fast bag drop.
Otherwise you will need to check-in as normal.
Alternatively, you can use the baggage re-check desks on the left before exiting to the public area (NOTE : These are permanently closed now - Oct 2022).
If you would prefer to avoid the porters and taxi touts in the arrivals halls, there are escalators to the left of these desks which will take you to level 1. From there you will need to go up one more level to reach domestic departures. (NOTE : These escalators are out of service now - Oct 2022).
The domestic terminal is designated as a separate terminal (Terminal B) but do not be confused by this. All the terminals at JNB are under one roof so you barely notice that you are transferring between them.
Domestic-International Connection
If you can interline baggage, you can check it through from your initial departure point to your international destination. Once you land at JNB walk out to exit (ignore signs to go downstairs to baggage reclaim), keep walking through the shops/past the food court, around the atrium and there is a security/emigration point on your front right.
Please see post #106 for an illustrated guide.
[although there is no need to go up the moving walkway and then back down again - just come out of the domestic exit and keep walking straight on that level, which will bring you to the security/emigration point]
International-International Connection
Minimum connection time: 60 minutes
This is where things become a little more tricky.
If you arrive at a jetway, you will see a corridor heading towards International Transfers on the left just before the escalators down to passport control.
If you arrive at a remote stand and are bussed to the terminal, you will see the escalators on the left heading up to International Transfers as you enter the building.
Both these paths are well signposted and there is usually a staff member shouting out "International transit" and waving a sign to direct passengers.
When you go down the corridor, there is a transit immigration point before the transfer desks. Typically the wait here is 1-3 minutes, very much quicker than 'normal' immigration.
Your passport will be stamped with a "TRANSIT" stamp here even though you do not enter the country, and you must ensure that you have the required blank pages otherwise you may not be permitted to continue your transit and instead sent back to your originating point.
A few meters beyond the immigration checkpoint is the main transit information area which have desks for all the international airlines and handling agents.
If your bags have already been tagged through to your final destination, ensure that you give your connecting airline the tag numbers at this time so that they can verify them in their system.
If the tag numbers are not re-verified, they will not be loaded without manual intervention. This is not required if connecting from SAA to SAA flights however.
If your bags have not been tagged through, you will need to find a member of staff in International Transfers from your arriving airline.
Ask them to get one of their baggage services staff to pull your bags off the belt manually and coordinate with staff from your onward airline to retag them to your final destination.
This is a rather convoluted process and can take a long time.
Therefore, if your bags cannot be tagged all the way through, it is advisable to pass through immigration, collect your bags at baggage reclaim and clear customs.
After you clear customs but before you exit to the public area (the exit is a set of sliding doors on your right), you will see a series of baggage re-check desks on your left.
Proceed to these desks since they often have smaller queues and have your bags re-tagged.
Then head up the escalators to your left (do not exit the main doors into the public area) which emerge on the departures level.
Turn right when facing the Vodacom store and the departures security checkpoint is right in front of you.
You can do the entire transit and enter/exit South Africa in less than 5 minutes if your bags come out quickly.
If time permits, the safest option is to clear customs and re-check your bags as described above rather than rely on the interlining system at JNB.
Have a look at post #9 of this thread for pictures.
Originally posted by Ambassador BA304.
Luggage storage
This is taken from the whyjoburg.com web site (April 2016):
Welcome to the guide to JNB.
If your have any further questions that have not been answered after reading through, please do not hesitate to ask.
Bear in mind that the minimum connection times given below are the shortest connections allowed for tickets on a single PNR. It would be advisable to leave more time than this, particularly if you are arriving during the busy morning period. If you are travelling on two separate PNRs, add on at least an extra hour to the MCTs to allow for whatever delays the Travel Gods may throw at you.
Do note that procedures can change so this guide may not be accurate. If you notice anything has changed or there are any errors, just let me know.
International-Domestic Connection
Minimum connection time: 90 minutes
Once you have deplaned, simply follow the crowd to the immigration hall.
After going through passport control, you will need to collect your luggage and pass through customs irrespective of whether your bags have been tagged through to your final destination.
Exit into the public area and proceed up to departures level by way of the escalators which are opposite and to the left. The escalator can take trolleys.
If your bags have already been tagged through to your destination and you have your boarding passes for the onward domestic flight, you can use fast bag drop.
Otherwise you will need to check-in as normal.
Alternatively, you can use the baggage re-check desks on the left before exiting to the public area (NOTE : These are permanently closed now - Oct 2022).
If you would prefer to avoid the porters and taxi touts in the arrivals halls, there are escalators to the left of these desks which will take you to level 1. From there you will need to go up one more level to reach domestic departures. (NOTE : These escalators are out of service now - Oct 2022).
The domestic terminal is designated as a separate terminal (Terminal B) but do not be confused by this. All the terminals at JNB are under one roof so you barely notice that you are transferring between them.
Domestic-International Connection
If you can interline baggage, you can check it through from your initial departure point to your international destination. Once you land at JNB walk out to exit (ignore signs to go downstairs to baggage reclaim), keep walking through the shops/past the food court, around the atrium and there is a security/emigration point on your front right.
Please see post #106 for an illustrated guide.
[although there is no need to go up the moving walkway and then back down again - just come out of the domestic exit and keep walking straight on that level, which will bring you to the security/emigration point]
International-International Connection
Minimum connection time: 60 minutes
This is where things become a little more tricky.
If you arrive at a jetway, you will see a corridor heading towards International Transfers on the left just before the escalators down to passport control.
If you arrive at a remote stand and are bussed to the terminal, you will see the escalators on the left heading up to International Transfers as you enter the building.
Both these paths are well signposted and there is usually a staff member shouting out "International transit" and waving a sign to direct passengers.
When you go down the corridor, there is a transit immigration point before the transfer desks. Typically the wait here is 1-3 minutes, very much quicker than 'normal' immigration.
Your passport will be stamped with a "TRANSIT" stamp here even though you do not enter the country, and you must ensure that you have the required blank pages otherwise you may not be permitted to continue your transit and instead sent back to your originating point.
A few meters beyond the immigration checkpoint is the main transit information area which have desks for all the international airlines and handling agents.
If your bags have already been tagged through to your final destination, ensure that you give your connecting airline the tag numbers at this time so that they can verify them in their system.
If the tag numbers are not re-verified, they will not be loaded without manual intervention. This is not required if connecting from SAA to SAA flights however.
If your bags have not been tagged through, you will need to find a member of staff in International Transfers from your arriving airline.
Ask them to get one of their baggage services staff to pull your bags off the belt manually and coordinate with staff from your onward airline to retag them to your final destination.
This is a rather convoluted process and can take a long time.
Therefore, if your bags cannot be tagged all the way through, it is advisable to pass through immigration, collect your bags at baggage reclaim and clear customs.
After you clear customs but before you exit to the public area (the exit is a set of sliding doors on your right), you will see a series of baggage re-check desks on your left.
Proceed to these desks since they often have smaller queues and have your bags re-tagged.
Then head up the escalators to your left (do not exit the main doors into the public area) which emerge on the departures level.
Turn right when facing the Vodacom store and the departures security checkpoint is right in front of you.
You can do the entire transit and enter/exit South Africa in less than 5 minutes if your bags come out quickly.
If time permits, the safest option is to clear customs and re-check your bags as described above rather than rely on the interlining system at JNB.
Have a look at post #9 of this thread for pictures.
Originally posted by Ambassador BA304.
Luggage storage
This is taken from the whyjoburg.com web site (April 2016):
BagPort South Africa, the original company that provided a luggage storage service at OR Tambo International Airport, has changed its name.
It now operates as Ateck - from the same premises down the escalators at the main exit of Terminal A arrivals, on Basement Level 1, going towards the Parkade 2 (South).
Costs are : (NB : CASH ONLY! No Cards Accepted.)
0-5 hours: R70.00
6-12 hours: R80.00
12-24 hours: R90.00
24 hours or more: R90.00 per day.
Open 24 hours, every day of the year.
Contact details :
Tel : +27 (11) 390 2689
http://www.a-teck.co.za/or-tambo-airport-store-teck/
It now operates as Ateck - from the same premises down the escalators at the main exit of Terminal A arrivals, on Basement Level 1, going towards the Parkade 2 (South).
Costs are : (NB : CASH ONLY! No Cards Accepted.)
0-5 hours: R70.00
6-12 hours: R80.00
12-24 hours: R90.00
24 hours or more: R90.00 per day.
Open 24 hours, every day of the year.
Contact details :
Tel : +27 (11) 390 2689
http://www.a-teck.co.za/or-tambo-airport-store-teck/
JNB / Johannesburg Airport - Connections, Facilities, Layovers, etc.
Aug 27, 2023, 6:21 pm
#1201
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,212
Aug 30, 2023, 7:13 am
#1202
Join Date: Mar 2006
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 5
Hi, I'm flying LHR-JNB-WDH next week, all on one ticket booked with BA (Airlink from JNB to WDH). I will have checked in luggage that I will ensure gets tagged through to WDH.
The sticky says for International-International Connection that 'If your bags have already been tagged through to your final destination, ensure that you give your connecting airline the tag numbers at this time so that they can verify them in their system. If the tag numbers are not re-verified, they will not be loaded without manual intervention'.
Is this still the case i.e. do I need to visit the Airlink desk in JNB transit and give them our luggage tag numbers?
Many thanks!
The sticky says for International-International Connection that 'If your bags have already been tagged through to your final destination, ensure that you give your connecting airline the tag numbers at this time so that they can verify them in their system. If the tag numbers are not re-verified, they will not be loaded without manual intervention'.
Is this still the case i.e. do I need to visit the Airlink desk in JNB transit and give them our luggage tag numbers?
Many thanks!
Aug 30, 2023, 4:58 pm
#1203
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,661
Ideally yes, although with both BA and 4Z on Amadeus the BTR message should transmit across.
Hi, I'm flying LHR-JNB-WDH next week, all on one ticket booked with BA (Airlink from JNB to WDH). I will have checked in luggage that I will ensure gets tagged through to WDH.
The sticky says for International-International Connection that 'If your bags have already been tagged through to your final destination, ensure that you give your connecting airline the tag numbers at this time so that they can verify them in their system. If the tag numbers are not re-verified, they will not be loaded without manual intervention'.
Is this still the case i.e. do I need to visit the Airlink desk in JNB transit and give them our luggage tag numbers?
Many thanks!
The sticky says for International-International Connection that 'If your bags have already been tagged through to your final destination, ensure that you give your connecting airline the tag numbers at this time so that they can verify them in their system. If the tag numbers are not re-verified, they will not be loaded without manual intervention'.
Is this still the case i.e. do I need to visit the Airlink desk in JNB transit and give them our luggage tag numbers?
Many thanks!
Sep 3, 2023, 1:44 pm
#1205
Join Date: Sep 2023
Posts: 1
LHR-JNB-MUB Transfer Advice Please!!
Hi all,
Looking for some advice/reassurance please!
I am flying London to JNB with BA, and then on to Maun with Airlink, next week. My connection was supposed to be 3 hours but is now 2 after a time change beyond my control. I am well aware that this is connection time is tight but doable, and am prepared to run from queue to queue and ask the staff to expedite if time is very tight.
My questions are:
Looking for some advice/reassurance please!
I am flying London to JNB with BA, and then on to Maun with Airlink, next week. My connection was supposed to be 3 hours but is now 2 after a time change beyond my control. I am well aware that this is connection time is tight but doable, and am prepared to run from queue to queue and ask the staff to expedite if time is very tight.
My questions are:
- Both my flights are on one booking, however will I definitely have to collect my bags and re-check them at JNB before my flight to Maun, since I am going International to Domestic terminals?
- When I get off the plane at JNB from London, I believe the route is: Immigration, collect bags, customs, drop bags (is there a drop off, since I believe that my bags will already have the barcode/tag from London as on one booking, and if so where is this drop off and is it obvious to find?), then security and then gate. Is this route correct???
- If the above route is correct, what signs do I follow (or more importantly, NOT follow) when I get off the plane at JNB from London? It is Arrivals or Transfers or Passport? Once I get the correct sign I'll just follow the crowds, it's just the sign to follow which is concerning me. I don't have much wiggle room to make a wrong turn or follow the incorrect sign, since the connection is so tight, so trying to get it clear in my head before I leave.
Sep 4, 2023, 1:58 am
#1206
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
Maun isn't a domestic destination. You should have ample time - just follow the information upthread for international connections.
Hi all,
Looking for some advice/reassurance please!
I am flying London to JNB with BA, and then on to Maun with Airlink, next week. My connection was supposed to be 3 hours but is now 2 after a time change beyond my control. I am well aware that this is connection time is tight but doable, and am prepared to run from queue to queue and ask the staff to expedite if time is very tight.
My questions are:
Looking for some advice/reassurance please!
I am flying London to JNB with BA, and then on to Maun with Airlink, next week. My connection was supposed to be 3 hours but is now 2 after a time change beyond my control. I am well aware that this is connection time is tight but doable, and am prepared to run from queue to queue and ask the staff to expedite if time is very tight.
My questions are:
- Both my flights are on one booking, however will I definitely have to collect my bags and re-check them at JNB before my flight to Maun, since I am going International to Domestic terminals?
- When I get off the plane at JNB from London, I believe the route is: Immigration, collect bags, customs, drop bags (is there a drop off, since I believe that my bags will already have the barcode/tag from London as on one booking, and if so where is this drop off and is it obvious to find?), then security and then gate. Is this route correct???
- If the above route is correct, what signs do I follow (or more importantly, NOT follow) when I get off the plane at JNB from London? It is Arrivals or Transfers or Passport? Once I get the correct sign I'll just follow the crowds, it's just the sign to follow which is concerning me. I don't have much wiggle room to make a wrong turn or follow the incorrect sign, since the connection is so tight, so trying to get it clear in my head before I leave.
Sep 4, 2023, 2:50 am
#1207
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Geneva
Programs: LX SEN, AFKL Platinum, BA Bronze,
Posts: 5,661
Insist that your bag is tagged through all the way when you check in with BA at LHR. There is an interline (and now a codeshare) agreement between BA and 4Z so this should be no problem.
Upon arrival at JNB proceed to international connections, do not go down the escalators to immigration and bagage claim. Walk through the long corridor until you reach the desks where you will get your passport stamped by SA authorities (and will require 2 blank pages for this), then onward past the transfer desks up the escalator and 180 to the security check. If your onward boarding pass wasn't issued at LHR, you will have to get one at the transfer desk because you can't go trough security without a BP. After security, you can go straight to your 4Z gate.
Sep 4, 2023, 8:46 am
#1208
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,661
Sep 21, 2023, 9:12 am
#1209
Join Date: May 2023
Location: UK
Posts: 7
Is there an official minimum connection time for Domestic- International Connection or it is 90 min, the reverse of International-Domestic as per the sticky? I noticed 3 hours often mentioned, including one post saying that is the minimum connection time insurance companies require but can't find anything official.
I'm asking due to a quandary with a BA booking. I'm trying to book the home leg of an open jaw trip; PLZ-JNB-LHR-MAN, which was available on BA.com until a couple of weeks ago but now not coming up as an option with the PLZ-JNB leg appearing to be the problem. The flight was previously provisioned via Airlink and I can see the flights, including BA codeshare, are still operating so assumed it's another BA IT glitch. BA twitter support say they aren't offering the route, BA Chat says they are but to make a phone booking, I can't currently get through on the phone...
It will be weekend before I can hang on a phone line indefinitely in the hope of getting a competent agent so am tempted to book JNB-LHR-MAN as part of my BA booking online (which it will let me do) and separately book PLZ-JNB directly with Airlink. The risk of this, being on separate tickets, I'd have 2hrs 20 mins if all on time, arriving from PLZ at 17:25 and BA departing for LHR at 19:45.
Reading the thread it sounds like I could ask Airlink if they'd check my bags through from PLZ which would reduce the transiting time, but no guarantee they'd actually do that on the day.
There is a later BA JNB-LHR flight at 22:15 but I don't fancy 5 hrs wait, I'll be on my own plus the pilfering risk for luggage left awaiting loading.
Sorry for the lengthy post and if anyone has gotten this far, any advice or experience would be much appreciated, especially with what would be considered official MCT if something did go wrong.
Thanks!
I'm asking due to a quandary with a BA booking. I'm trying to book the home leg of an open jaw trip; PLZ-JNB-LHR-MAN, which was available on BA.com until a couple of weeks ago but now not coming up as an option with the PLZ-JNB leg appearing to be the problem. The flight was previously provisioned via Airlink and I can see the flights, including BA codeshare, are still operating so assumed it's another BA IT glitch. BA twitter support say they aren't offering the route, BA Chat says they are but to make a phone booking, I can't currently get through on the phone...
It will be weekend before I can hang on a phone line indefinitely in the hope of getting a competent agent so am tempted to book JNB-LHR-MAN as part of my BA booking online (which it will let me do) and separately book PLZ-JNB directly with Airlink. The risk of this, being on separate tickets, I'd have 2hrs 20 mins if all on time, arriving from PLZ at 17:25 and BA departing for LHR at 19:45.
Reading the thread it sounds like I could ask Airlink if they'd check my bags through from PLZ which would reduce the transiting time, but no guarantee they'd actually do that on the day.
There is a later BA JNB-LHR flight at 22:15 but I don't fancy 5 hrs wait, I'll be on my own plus the pilfering risk for luggage left awaiting loading.
Sorry for the lengthy post and if anyone has gotten this far, any advice or experience would be much appreciated, especially with what would be considered official MCT if something did go wrong.
Thanks!
Sep 22, 2023, 8:02 am
#1210
Ambassador: World of Hyatt
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: UK - the nearest airport is named after a motorway !
Posts: 4,236
If you're on separate tickets then official MCT is irrelevant to you; however long you leave between flights, if you're late for the JNB-LHR flight then you have problems. Things may have changed, but my previous experience with mainline BA at JNB is very negative when it comes to separate tickets... even when it was a BA/Comair flight that got me in late, they refused to help and pointed me back to the original conditions of my JNB-LHR flight (and collected a tidy change fee to put me onto the later flight 
).
I often do domestic-international (either DUR or CPT-JNB//JNB-LHR) on separate tickets, but it's always HBO, and I always make sure that I book onto the flight before the flight that would give me a comfortable connection, with one flight after that which would be just do-able. Even then, in maybe 20 of those occasions over the last 7-8 years, I've come unstuck twice and had to pay out extra to get home.
If all runs even half way smoothly, then 2:20 domestic to international is plenty of time, but don't be fooled into thinking that, however much time you leave, BA will give a rat's ... if you miss the onward flight.... YMMV, and all that. I'd personally wait to book the whole thing on one ticket....
).I often do domestic-international (either DUR or CPT-JNB//JNB-LHR) on separate tickets, but it's always HBO, and I always make sure that I book onto the flight before the flight that would give me a comfortable connection, with one flight after that which would be just do-able. Even then, in maybe 20 of those occasions over the last 7-8 years, I've come unstuck twice and had to pay out extra to get home.
If all runs even half way smoothly, then 2:20 domestic to international is plenty of time, but don't be fooled into thinking that, however much time you leave, BA will give a rat's ... if you miss the onward flight.... YMMV, and all that. I'd personally wait to book the whole thing on one ticket....
Sep 22, 2023, 9:20 am
#1211
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,454
Airlink will through check, 100%, and most likely produce your onward BA boarding pass even on separate tickets. They are an airline that understands customer service unlike your long haul carrier 
. The OH made a sub 50minute connection D-I at JNB with bags checked through earlier this year....but it was very stressful, involved a lot of running and an escort into the diplomatic channel.
If I were you, I'd either wait, book the 5 hour connection or come up in the morning from PLZ and amuse yourself in JNB, with your bags in the safe and reliable luggage store. But I dislike running or needless levels of stress and generally have a flexible schedule.
. The OH made a sub 50minute connection D-I at JNB with bags checked through earlier this year....but it was very stressful, involved a lot of running and an escort into the diplomatic channel.If I were you, I'd either wait, book the 5 hour connection or come up in the morning from PLZ and amuse yourself in JNB, with your bags in the safe and reliable luggage store. But I dislike running or needless levels of stress and generally have a flexible schedule.
Sep 22, 2023, 9:24 am
#1212
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC/ EWR/ PHL
Programs: UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,212
Airlink will through check, 100%, and most likely produce your onward BA boarding pass even on separate tickets. They are an airline that understands customer service unlike your long haul carrier . The OH made a sub 50minute connection D-I at JNB with bags checked through earlier this year....but it was very stressful, involved a lot of running and an escort into the diplomatic channel.
If I were you, I'd either wait, book the 5 hour connection or come up in the morning from PLZ and amuse yourself in JNB, with your bags in the safe and reliable luggage store. But I dislike running or needless levels of stress and generally have a flexible schedule.
. The OH made a sub 50minute connection D-I at JNB with bags checked through earlier this year....but it was very stressful, involved a lot of running and an escort into the diplomatic channel.If I were you, I'd either wait, book the 5 hour connection or come up in the morning from PLZ and amuse yourself in JNB, with your bags in the safe and reliable luggage store. But I dislike running or needless levels of stress and generally have a flexible schedule.
Sep 22, 2023, 2:14 pm
#1213
Join Date: May 2023
Location: UK
Posts: 7
Thanks for thoughts, much appreciated. I've resisted booking the BA elements online and Plan A is to definitely try to get it on one booking - no plans for me tomorrow other than to hang on the phone to BA, no matter how long it takes! It's just frustrating still not knowing if it will even be possible due to different BA channels giving conflicting advice.
If I can't book on one ticket then I'll look at the earlier flight options to allow much more time as recommended. At a push I could book another carrier altogether to do a straight through booking, although none of the alternative routes were particularly convenient. I'll see what BA have to say tomorrow - wish me luck!
Thanks again.
If I can't book on one ticket then I'll look at the earlier flight options to allow much more time as recommended. At a push I could book another carrier altogether to do a straight through booking, although none of the alternative routes were particularly convenient. I'll see what BA have to say tomorrow - wish me luck!
Thanks again.
Sep 26, 2023, 12:55 am
#1215
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,661