According to statistics released by Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), over 8 million international travellers departed from Oliver Tambo International Airport during the 2014/15 financial year. This sizeable amount of international travellers highlights the importance for South African tourists to familiarise themselves with international airport protocol thereby ensuring a smooth travel experience.
This is says Muhammed Mehdi Tunc, general manager of the Johannesburg Turkish Airlines branch. “Besides the general effects of extended air travel, such as fatigue, dehydration and swelling, not knowing some basic ‘golden rules’ of travel can add unneseccary stress to the experience.”
He offers the following tips to travellers to ensure a seamless flight abroad:
- Get a solid grasp of the ‘connecting flight’ term: Tunc says that often passengers do not understand thoroughly what constitutes a connecting flight and what the responsibilities of the airline is in this regard. “When booking a connecting flight, the safest approach is to book all the flights with one airline and to ensure that the flights are listed on one ticket. This way, if one flight runs late, the airline is responsible for the connecting flight and must ensure that passengers reach their final destination without incurring futher costs or inconvenience.”
He explains that in the event that passengers book flights with two different airlines they could end up in a situation where the second flight is missed due to a delay.
“If these flights are not linked, it is likely that the passenger will need to rebook the second trip at their own expense and often at a great inconvenience.” - Research is the key: Tunc says that many airlines, such as Turkish Airlines, offers its passengers a complimentary hotel suite for layovers exceeding ten hours.
“A quiet space in which to shower, rest and recoup can make a big difference when travelling for an extended period of time and is often included in the booking at no additional charge. Passengers must thus read the fine print and conduct thourough research on what is included in the package before selecting an airline.” - Know the layout of the airport: He adds that passengers should study the layout of the airport prior to arrival, especially in the case of a tight time deadline to catch a connecting flight.
- Place ID tags on carry-on luggage: Tunc explains that with flights that are booked to capacity, there is a possibilty that the overhead storage bins fill up and some carry-on luggage must be checked- in. “In these instances, it is very helpful when carry-on luggage is easily identifiable for the owner. In addition, international travellers are often overtired from their travels and can therefore misplace carry-on luggage quite easily at the airport.”
- Ask for assistance: Tunc says that passengers must also make use of airline staff to assist them with any urgent queries.
“International airlines have trained professionals on standby to assist passengers in distress. Opting for the human touch can go a long way in easing the travel experience,” he concludes.
