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JNB / Johannesburg Airport - Connections, Facilities, Layovers, etc.

Old Nov 16, 2015, 3:09 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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):

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/
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JNB / Johannesburg Airport - Connections, Facilities, Layovers, etc.

Old Apr 9, 2019, 3:30 pm
  #841  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,409
Originally Posted by golfingboy
We are looking at an itinerary flying CPT-JNB-HKG where the CPT-JNB sector will be on BA (Comair) and JNB-HKG on CX. Connection time is 90 minutes in the morning - I presume this shouldn’t be an issue given we are doing domestic to international?
You'd have to change terminals (10-15 minute walk), then clear security and immigration and then walk some more to your gate, it's doable (if on a single ticket) but I would advise taking an earlier CPT-JNB flight if possible.
Ditto is offline  
Old Apr 10, 2019, 2:32 am
  #842  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
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If you have checked bags then this needs to be a single ticket. BA is unlikely to through check on separate tickets.
Steve_ZA is offline  
Old Apr 10, 2019, 9:16 am
  #843  
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: JNB
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Originally Posted by skywardhunter
It might be an issue, security and immigration can be a little tough in the morning around 8-9am.

Customs won't care, you might be more concerned with immigration, but I doubt they'd care, either.
You do not say when you are travelling, but bear in mind that we are going into Winter, so that means a rainy season in Cape Town. This of course, could lead to early morning flight delays, so maybe look at a slightly earlier CPT- JNB departure just to be on the safe side.
If you are travelling on one ticket, (Oneworld), you should be able to check your bags all the way through, and as mentioned, Immigration just bumbles along, so they do not care about the length of your stay.
roadwarrier is offline  
Old Apr 10, 2019, 1:27 pm
  #844  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
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I'm going to be connecting through JNB from Windohoek, Namibia (WDH) to SYD then onto HNL. I'm on SAA for WHD-JNB and Quantas (QF) from JNB-SYD-HNL, so this is on two different tickets. I have a 5 hour layover in JNB. My plan is to check my bag as I am spending a few hours outside of the airport in SYD but should be within carry-on limits so would consider sticking with carry-on. Will I have to go through immigration and customs at JNB or can I stay in the transit area?

-If I have carry-on only, I can stay in the transit area, but is there even a way to check-in with QF at that point?

-If I do check a bag it sounds like there is an opportunity to use a re-check desk, but QF isn't exactly a major carrier at JNB. Would they even have a re-check desk (and would it be open 5 hours before the flight)?

-If I take my bag carry-on, can I check it in at SYD for just the second leg of my trip, or is that something that's just not done by airlines?

-Or is the best thing since I presumably have the time just to fully clear immigration and customs, check in at QF like normal and make my back through immigration and security?

Thanks for the help on this!
craigsf is offline  
Old Apr 10, 2019, 3:37 pm
  #845  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,409
Originally Posted by craigsf
I'm going to be connecting through JNB from Windohoek, Namibia (WDH) to SYD then onto HNL. I'm on SAA for WHD-JNB and Quantas (QF) from JNB-SYD-HNL, so this is on two different tickets. I have a 5 hour layover in JNB. My plan is to check my bag as I am spending a few hours outside of the airport in SYD but should be within carry-on limits so would consider sticking with carry-on. Will I have to go through immigration and customs at JNB or can I stay in the transit area?

-If I have carry-on only, I can stay in the transit area, but is there even a way to check-in with QF at that point?

-If I do check a bag it sounds like there is an opportunity to use a re-check desk, but QF isn't exactly a major carrier at JNB. Would they even have a re-check desk (and would it be open 5 hours before the flight)?

-If I take my bag carry-on, can I check it in at SYD for just the second leg of my trip, or is that something that's just not done by airlines?

-Or is the best thing since I presumably have the time just to fully clear immigration and customs, check in at QF like normal and make my back through immigration and security?

Thanks for the help on this!
If you have checked luggage, and assuming SA will not through-check it for you, you have to clear immigration and customs either way to pick it up, I doubt you'll be able to drop it off anywhere but the QF check-in counters that will most likely not open until 3 hours before your flight.
If you have carry-on only, you should be able to stay airside in JNB, I would advise to OLCI and bring a printed boarding pass with you.

As for SYD questions, no clue, they are probably best asked in the relevant forum for QF.
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Old Apr 11, 2019, 2:07 am
  #846  
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Exile
Posts: 15,638
Originally Posted by craigsf
I'm going to be connecting through JNB from Windohoek, Namibia (WDH) to SYD then onto HNL. I'm on SAA for WHD-JNB and Quantas (QF) from JNB-SYD-HNL, so this is on two different tickets. I have a 5 hour layover in JNB. My plan is to check my bag as I am spending a few hours outside of the airport in SYD but should be within carry-on limits so would consider sticking with carry-on. Will I have to go through immigration and customs at JNB or can I stay in the transit area?

-If I have carry-on only, I can stay in the transit area, but is there even a way to check-in with QF at that point?

-If I do check a bag it sounds like there is an opportunity to use a re-check desk, but QF isn't exactly a major carrier at JNB. Would they even have a re-check desk (and would it be open 5 hours before the flight)?

-If I take my bag carry-on, can I check it in at SYD for just the second leg of my trip, or is that something that's just not done by airlines?

-Or is the best thing since I presumably have the time just to fully clear immigration and customs, check in at QF like normal and make my back through immigration and security?

Thanks for the help on this!
1) SAA should be able to check your bags in from Windhoek all the way to Honolulu.
2) There are dozens of passengers who do similar routings between SA-QF every day, so they are extremely used to passengers connecting airside in transit. Qantas has a large transit desk at the airside connection center.
3) You cannot use the re-check desks to check-in for an international itinerary, only for domestic. The re-check desks are located after immigration, baggage claim and customs. There is no Qantas presence here.
B747-437B is offline  
Old Apr 11, 2019, 6:28 pm
  #847  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Washington, DC
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Originally Posted by B747-437B
1) SAA should be able to check your bags in from Windhoek all the way to Honolulu.
2) There are dozens of passengers who do similar routings between SA-QF every day, so they are extremely used to passengers connecting airside in transit. Qantas has a large transit desk at the airside connection center.
3) You cannot use the re-check desks to check-in for an international itinerary, only for domestic. The re-check desks are located after immigration, baggage claim and customs. There is no Qantas presence here.
Thanks very much Ditto and B747-437B. Sounds like I can make it work. For the Qantas airside desk though, would that be open more than 3 hours before the QF flight (or can I access it at any time from the transit area and just go back when it's open, I'm not sure if I pass through additional security, etc. after that)?
craigsf is offline  
Old Apr 12, 2019, 4:14 am
  #848  
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
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Originally Posted by craigsf
Thanks very much Ditto and B747-437B. Sounds like I can make it work. For the Qantas airside desk though, would that be open more than 3 hours before the QF flight (or can I access it at any time from the transit area and just go back when it's open, I'm not sure if I pass through additional security, etc. after that)?
It should be open from early afternoon onwards. You will need to have your QF boarding pass to access the departure area (OLCI or mobile pass is fine). Once you go through the "transit immigration" checkpoint, you are basically committed to staying airside and waiting it out.
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Old Apr 14, 2019, 7:12 pm
  #849  
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
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Thanks again for everyone's feedback, I'll post how it ends up going.

If anyone was curious about my SYD question, apparently it's easy and fairly common to check a back for just the second flight of an itinerary. The only potential catch in a situation like this is that you'll often not be able to do so more than 3 hours before the flight.
craigsf is offline  
Old Apr 15, 2019, 1:42 am
  #850  
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
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Originally Posted by craigsf
Thanks again for everyone's feedback, I'll post how it ends up going.

If anyone was curious about my SYD question, apparently it's easy and fairly common to check a back for just the second flight of an itinerary. The only potential catch in a situation like this is that you'll often not be able to do so more than 3 hours before the flight.
Yeah not an issue on most airlines to do this as long as you're within your overall luggage allowance
skywardhunter is offline  
Old Apr 26, 2019, 9:30 pm
  #851  
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 1
Connecting in jnb to liv

I will be traveling from Washington DC to Zambia, I will only bring my carry on and not checking any bags, I booked all flight in one ticket through qatar airlines and going to ask for all boarding passes when I check with Qatar in DC.

I fly from JFK into Qatar then from qatar into JNB arriving at 9:50 terminal A then my out bound flight is with Comair airlines and set to leave at 11:00.

Will i I make this? Or should I try to bump my last leg of my trip back.
kelly21bell is offline  
Old Apr 27, 2019, 1:47 am
  #852  
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
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Firstly welcome to Flyettalk kelly21bell and if you need any additional information specifically for your Qatar Airways flights then take a look at the dedicated forum: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qata...lege-club-644/

As far as your connection goes that is tight but achievable on a single ticket, even if you decided to check a bag it would still be OK as it would go straight through to your final destination. Comair will rebook you on a later departure if the Qatar flights run late.
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Old Apr 28, 2019, 1:23 am
  #853  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
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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!
LASNRT is offline  
Old Apr 28, 2019, 4:20 am
  #854  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,409
I highly doubt you'll make it, QR1363 have a very odd pattern for time of arrival, sometime even 30 minutes early but just as common 30 minutes late, besides the flights you mentioned (with AF being either a 777-300 or an A380) there's couple more flights which arrive around the same time which are just as likely to cause a long queue at immigration if timings works against you.

For the later flight, George airport is tiny so I think you have every chance of getting to Knysna by 18:00ish.

There is another option though - you could book a meet & greet service, I never tried them but I'm pretty sure they'll allow you to skip any immigration queue, there is still the chance of your QR flight arriving too late for you to be able to drop your bag
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Old Apr 29, 2019, 1:19 am
  #855  
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
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Originally Posted by Ditto
I highly doubt you'll make it, QR1363 have a very odd pattern for time of arrival, sometime even 30 minutes early but just as common 30 minutes late, besides the flights you mentioned (with AF being either a 777-300 or an A380) there's couple more flights which arrive around the same time which are just as likely to cause a long queue at immigration if timings works against you.

For the later flight, George airport is tiny so I think you have every chance of getting to Knysna by 18:00ish.

There is another option though - you could book a meet & greet service, I never tried them but I'm pretty sure they'll allow you to skip any immigration queue, there is still the chance of your QR flight arriving too late for you to be able to drop your bag
Thank you Ditto! I hadn’t noticed the varied landing times of the QR flight. I appreciate your candid advice!
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