Has anyone recently flown to Namiba, if so did you fly from the US into S. Africa or direct to Nambia from say..Frankfurt..Pro's and Con's

Going next year and haven't purchased tickets yet.
Thanks

Dan:

We've done the Namibia trip just about every way it can be done and leaving again for this years trip this Sunday. Unfortunately, there is no "direct" commercial flight from the US to Windhoek. You have to either route via J'berg or through Europe.

The first year we went it was TPA - JFK - JNB - WDH with no overnight in JNB. LONG ASS TWO DAYS and our check bag and rifles showed up 3-days later.

Second year we did the TPA - ATL - JNB - WDH with an overnight in JNB. Better but the overnight in JNB (Afton House) was a bit of a goat on a rope and wouldn't do that again.

The last two years we've gone TPA - JFK - FRA (Frankfurt GE) - WDH. This has been great!!! Overnight flight from JFK to FRA and get in about 0800 and get a day room near the airport. Shower a little sightseeing, a nap and another overnight flight direct into WDH that arrives before 0600. You can clear customs and be on the road to with your PH before 0800.

This year we are using points and did a little strange routing. TPA - JFK - ZUR (Zurich) - JNB - WDH. Overnight flight from JFK to ZUR with a dayroom there, spend the day sightseeing in Zurich and overnight flight to JNB and then WDH by mid afternoon. Return flight is WDH - FRA - IAH (Houston)- TPA.

Routing is not the best but on points/miles the price was right and a day in Zurich will be fun for a change.

So far the Frankfurt route direct to Windhoek has been the best - two nine hour overnight flights and NO J'BERG!!!

We can lament the fact that there is no direct service from North America to Windhoek (despite the fact that it makes sense to everyone but the airline executives.) However, the least painful route, in my estimation, is through Frankfurt. Several airlines serving the U.S. have baggage agreements with Air Namibia (the airline flying from FRA to WDH), so be sure that you choose one of those for your flight from the U.S. to FRA so that your gun(s) and other baggage will be (theoretically, and usually dependably) checked all the way through to WDH.

You'll depart the U.S. in the afternoon and arrive in FRA early morning. I advise NOT to try to get a room and sleep but to stay busy by visiting downtown Frankfurt. This will help you adjust to the time differential (and German time is within an hour of Namibia time) so you will arrive in Namibia without so much jet lag.

The flight for WDH leaves FRA late evening and arrives early morning. Your guide can pick you up, take you for breakfast and get you started on the right foot.

On the other hand, transiting JNB most often requires an overnight stay (expensive and time consuming), subjects you and your guns to the extensive red tape of the South African Police, and exposes your baggage to the rampant theft that the JNB airport is infamous for. Even if you are able to book a flight which will leave JNB for WDH on the same afternoon you arrive, about half of the time your plane from the U.S. will be just late enough that you (or your baggage) won't make the tight connection and you find yourself face with the unexpected contingency of finding overnight accomodations for yourself and wading through red tape with your guns.

Besides, the Germans are very pleasant to deal with and generally rather efficient.

Frankfort is the way to go. Even my Namibian friends use that route and bypass Tembo.

Another vote for Frankfort. Pleasant trip with some layover in Germany versus grueling flight and sap hassles in ZA.

Tom

+1 Frankfort is the best IMO!

We went through Frankfurt and it worked just fine.

Time-wise I think you can actually do it through JoBurg quicker but I didn't want to deal with SAPS.

I'll experience that in less than two weeks on the way to Zim.

It really would be terrific of a commercial carrier would open service direct from the US to Windhoek. Understand that the over-water vs over=land ops requirements are different and the US to WDH is 1/3 farther.

ATL to WDH - 6700nm.
Miami to WDH - 6300nm.
FRA to WDH - 4400nm.

Even if it was just 2-3 flights a week you can spend a couple of very relaxing days on either end, or both, in Windhoek and have that many more Kudu stakes and several Windhoeks and Tafels at Joe's!!!

quote:

Originally posted by m3taco:
It really would be terrific of a commercial carrier would open service direct from the US to Windhoek. Understand that the over-water vs over=land ops requirements are different and the US to WDH is 1/3 farther.

ATL to WDH - 6700nm.
Miami to WDH - 6300nm.
FRA to WDH - 4400nm.

Even if it was just 2-3 flights a week you can spend a couple of very relaxing days on either end, or both, in Windhoek and have that many more Kudu stakes and several Windhoeks and Tafels at Joe's!!!

It always burns me up when flying from Atlanta to Joberg and we get to the point where we are flying over Windhoek.I know I have two more hours to go and that after all the BS in RSA that I have to turn around and come right back.Ussually after overnighting.

My most pleasant route had me flying from Houston to Paris and then Windhoek. Enjoyed Paris much more than Frankfurt or Joberg.

If a plane can go from Atlanta to Joberg than it can go to Windhoek which is a few hundred miles closer.
Go through FRA the South Africans will rob you blind.

We did the Denver to Dulles to JNB via Dakar trip in 2010. Overnite @ Africa Sky Guest House ( Very Nice ) and on to Windhoek the next day. Glad we did it, saw some things we never would have. Next time definitely going through Frankfurt

What I don't understand is if SAA can fly Dulles to Joberg with a stop in Dakar, why can't they stop in Windhoek instead of Dakar? I'm sure there is a much larger market for flights to Windhoek from the US then there is for Dakar. The people running Delta don't seem to see this obvious market either.

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron Rust:
+1 Frankfort is the best IMO!

I agree. No sense adding cost and complication by going through JNB.

quote:

Originally posted by Labman:
What I don't understand is if SAA can fly Dulles to Joberg with a stop in Dakar, why can't they stop in Windhoek instead of Dakar? I'm sure there is a much larger market for flights to Windhoek from the US then there is for Dakar. The people running Delta don't seem to see this obvious market either.

Outside of the limited traffic bound for Dakar, the primary reason for the Dakar stop is that JNB is at the extreme extent of the IFR fuel range of the long-range 747.

But you are correct that WDH could easily be substituted for Dakar in that it is two hours closer than JNB and almost always VFR conditions, thus it would be as good or better a mid-flight stopover.

I suspect that the main barrier to establishing such a flight is that Air Namibia is government-owned (or partially owned) and since its revenues are insufficient to sustain it the government must continually provide it with subsidies. If they allowed direct flights from the U.S., it might impact the load factor for Air Namibia's own flights from FRA. Air Namibia is probably not in a financial position itself to establish flights to the U.S. (takes a big investment to buy/lease a long-range 747, and buying landing rights at busy East Coast airports isn't cheap, either.) So until something changes, it looks like our choices will continue to be only FRA or JNB.

Danmcqueen,
Never been to Africa but plan to go in 2013. I have the same question as you, which airline.
In my search I came across Airberlin flying out of Berlin- Tegel.
Looks like they have non-stop to Windhoek.
I no nothing about Airberlin

Mauserk98

Did the IAH (Houston) - FRA - WDH. I will do it again next time. On the flight there and back you could hear all the JNB horror stories you could ask for.

I will check into other European cities for cheaper fares, but I'm not going to JNB.

Only except would be if I didn't bring any firearms...even then, most likely not.

going SAA JFK to JNB and on to WDH. Arrive morning in JNB and leave at 3pm for WDH. All on SAA should not have any issues with rifles etc. once checked in JFK.

Mauser K98:

We looked into using Air Berlin. They have a direct flight from Ft. Myers FL to Berlin and then over-night to Windhoek.

Only drawbacks for us were the ticket costs being about 1/3 higher than other routes - even via FRA and Air Namibia. If the ticket prices were close I'd try it but not at what they quote times 2 travelers. That's a lot of trophy fees.

Air Berlin took over the old LTU. Back when it was LTU they had a policy of not carrying firearms as checked baggage. I do not know whether that policy is still in force, but it would be wise to check first. They fly direct to WDH from Munich, which would seem a delightful place for a layover.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
Air Berlin took over the old LTU. Back when it was LTU they had a policy of not carrying firearms as checked baggage. I do not know whether that policy is still in force, but it would be wise to check first. They fly direct to WDH from Munich, which would seem a delightful place for a layover.

Air Berlin will accept firearms and ammunition as checked baggage, but there are some additional conditions and fees associated with this service. It also appears that they have switched hubs for the Windhoek flight from Munich to Berlin (Tegel).

As far as a direct flight from the U.S. to Windhoek, Air Berlin might be the best candidate since they already operate from Ft. Myers and Miami. That route would really be pushing the A330's they operate, though.

A friend of mine just booked Detroit to Windhoek via Frankfurt and back with Steve Turner. Good connections going and coming back.

quote:

As far as a direct flight from the U.S. to Windhoek, Air Berlin might be the best candidate since they already operate from Ft. Myers and Miami. That route would really be pushing the A330's they operate, though.

If they had the long range 330s they could make it with about a 15-20% (published) fuel overage. But I stress that I'm not a pilot, nor an airliner expert, so that may not be viable with a full load of fuel and passengers. They could fuel up at the Cape Verde Islands like some SAA flights do, I would think. That would beat the hell out of any other available route, and they could run it once a week, coming and going for the hunting months. I suspect it would fill up immediately if their prices were reasonable.

Another for Frankfort; tried the other 2X. No comparison.

quote:

They could fuel up at the Cape Verde Islands like some SAA flights do, I would think.

It is my understanding that in shuttling private planes to Africa a favorite stop (for planes with a long enough range) is Recife, Brasil. I've often wondered why Recife wouldn't be a better stop than Dakar for flights bound for Southern Africa. For that matter, is it possible to get a flight from, say, Sao Paulo or Rio to Southern Africa?

The few times I've flown the Dakar Route, quite a number of passengers leave the plane there. I suspect it is the most profitable route for the airline or they would not use it?