SAA and MANGO
 

Hi
We are flying out of JNB to LHR and onwards to YYZ on SAA and AC respectively.

We need to add a connecting flight from CPT to JNB but the best connection and price on SAA website is a SAA flight operated by MANGO.

IF we take this flight will we be able to check in have have our baggage checked all the way. It would be SAA to SAA but just not sure how this Mango fits in.

Thanks
I am Star Alliance Gold so prefer to take SAA if possible.

Conceptually, yes.

Even if they won't thru check for you, it won't make a significant difference as long as you have time. Going domestic to international at JNB still requires security screening and immigration, so you'd really only be adding the steps to claim baggage and recheck it. The line at the Premium Check in seems to be better than the bag drop for general internet check in, but worth having a look at both if in a rush, they are pretty close to each other at JNB.

Is 90 min enough time to connect in JNB?

With luggage checked through, definitely. I would not do it though if you have to pick up and recheck your luggage. I believe SA requires 60 minutes prior to flight time for bag drop on international.

Agree, outgoing with checked through luggage 90 minutes is OK. I would be 99% certain that they'll check your luggage through.

One recommendation: if you don't have locked, hard shell luggage, have it wrapped with plastic at CPT airport. Although with a shortish transfer the risk is certainly smaller, tampering with luggage (especially easily accessible items) is still a serious risk at JNB (in my experience).

I'm in a pretty similar situtation as the original poster from over a year and a half ago--i.e. SA operated by mango flight from CPT to JNB needed to connect to a Star Alliance itinerary for a flight to Europe (on Lufthansa) and on to North America (on Air Canada). The flight and times of the SA operated by Mango flight are the best for me. I will be flying in February. Will I be able to interline my luggage so I don't need to pick it up in JNB? Will I enjoy any *A Gold benefits such as an additional luggage allowance? The only information I can find is a note that I won't get lounge access but it says nothing of any other benefits. Also, has anyone recieved any *A miles for flying on Mango (other than for SA Voyager)?

I don't think baggage interline is your main concern here.
What will you do if your mango flight is delayed in a way that you miss your LH flight? You will be a no-show to both your LH and AC flights.

If I were you, I would fly in to JNB the night before, or at the very least early morning to allow enough time in case of delays/cancellations etc.

Thanks Ditto, I have already taken this into account. My flight isn't until the evening and I'm looking at a flight in the late morning. There are also quite a few flights on other arilines after this flight that would get to me JNB in time that I could always switch to if there was a delay. I'm still interested in answers to my other questions, however.

*A miles on SAA by Mango?
 

gspurr, I am utterly unable to answer your questions, but am rather tagging on to re-ask one of them.

Is it possible to earn *A miles (not Voyager) on an SAA ticketed flight operated by Mango? The price difference is around $10, which is worth it if I get the miles, as that would help my *G requalification.

[either way, I am likely to be on a Mango flight next week, so will try to make time to go to the checkin desk and ask them about interlining luggage as in your case, gspurr, and will report back if I manage]

Thanks Stewie Mac. I look forward to hearing what you find out.

Mango is subsidiary of SAA , you will have a completely different check in counter at CPT ( you will get no *A/Voyager miles for the mango flight ).They are a low cost carrier ....

I asked at the Mango counter in CPT - if booked on the SAA code-share and on the same ticket onwards on SAA (and I guess LH) then they would check bags through, but on separate tickets no joy, you will have to claim and recheck in JNB. And therefore no chance to get any additional luggage allowance, I would think.

Thanks (you are correct I will be getting on a LH flight in JNB). Even without a separate luggage allowance I'm surprised that Mango't interline my bag onto the LH flight as long as I paid whatever fee Mango was charging to get my luggage on their flight from CPT to JNB. Oh well, there is a SA flight (non Mango that works) and doesn't cost all that much more.

Not directly related, but be aware that SA's booking engine isn't the smartest. I booked two SA codeshare flights on one ticket (Mango to Airlink) with a 60-minute layover in JNB. Those two airlines don't interline, so that was fun.

So whenever anybody needs to book an SA codeshare, just check the operating carriers actually interline.