International - International Connection at CPT
Sep 11, 18, 5:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA Exec Club Bronze, Hilton Diamond, Virgin Flying Club Red
Posts: 1,255
International - International Connection at CPT
Hi Folks
Looking at an international to international connection at CPT in August, and wondered if more familiar people could impart some advice.
Booking would be on separate tickets:
SA8127 from Windhoek arriving 17.05.
BA59 to London departing 19.30
My understanding is that we would need to clear SA immigration / customs, claim luggage and then re-check at BA.
How achievable is this?
Also is it possible that the SAA agent at Windhoek may be able to check our bags through to LHR?
Thanks!
Looking at an international to international connection at CPT in August, and wondered if more familiar people could impart some advice.
Booking would be on separate tickets:
SA8127 from Windhoek arriving 17.05.
BA59 to London departing 19.30
My understanding is that we would need to clear SA immigration / customs, claim luggage and then re-check at BA.
How achievable is this?
Also is it possible that the SAA agent at Windhoek may be able to check our bags through to LHR?
Thanks!
Sep 11, 18, 9:47 am
#2
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Bath, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 999
I do not know if SA in Windhoek will check bags through with BA. Considering that if you were flying BA to Johannesburg and connecting onwards to London on BA but on separate tickets that BA would not check them through, I am doubting that SA will be able to check them through.
Cape Town is generally a very efficient airport, and I personally find bags generally come off very quickly. I have also checked the on-time performance for SA8127 01 July - 31 August 2018 - it shows on-time for 59 days, late 1 day and excessively late 1 day, so pretty reliable that it will arrive on time. The only concern would be that you have EK770 from Dubai scheduled at 16:30, so if it is a bit late and you get caught up in that, it could delay you a bit.
From exiting customs you have about a 150-200 metre walk to escalators that take you up to the departures area where the British Airways check-in desks are based.
Theoretically if all flights are on time you could be sitting in the lounge within 45 minutes of landing. That is in ideal conditions, but it doesn't leave you much wiggle room if things go a little wrong.
Cape Town is generally a very efficient airport, and I personally find bags generally come off very quickly. I have also checked the on-time performance for SA8127 01 July - 31 August 2018 - it shows on-time for 59 days, late 1 day and excessively late 1 day, so pretty reliable that it will arrive on time. The only concern would be that you have EK770 from Dubai scheduled at 16:30, so if it is a bit late and you get caught up in that, it could delay you a bit.
From exiting customs you have about a 150-200 metre walk to escalators that take you up to the departures area where the British Airways check-in desks are based.
Theoretically if all flights are on time you could be sitting in the lounge within 45 minutes of landing. That is in ideal conditions, but it doesn't leave you much wiggle room if things go a little wrong.
Sep 11, 18, 11:32 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,377
While I never did Int'l to Int'l connection in CPT, there is signage towards international flight connections, so IF your bags gets through-checked or you can travel with hand luggage only, you probably don't need to clear immigration at all.
For the rest I agree with @wijibintheair, but the possibility of being stuck in the immigration queue behind EK770 is very real even if it is ontime or just slightly delayed, for the peace of mind you could book the meet & greet service.
For the rest I agree with @wijibintheair, but the possibility of being stuck in the immigration queue behind EK770 is very real even if it is ontime or just slightly delayed, for the peace of mind you could book the meet & greet service.
Sep 13, 18, 7:47 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: UK
Programs: BA Exec Club Bronze, Hilton Diamond, Virgin Flying Club Red
Posts: 1,255
Thanks for the replies.
We've decided not to risk it and gone for an overnight layover in JNB before catching the new 8am departure the next day. There were no overnights available on our return day (23rd Aug) but I’ve set up an alarm on baredemptionfinder.com should one emerge.
We've decided not to risk it and gone for an overnight layover in JNB before catching the new 8am departure the next day. There were no overnights available on our return day (23rd Aug) but I’ve set up an alarm on baredemptionfinder.com should one emerge.
