My wife and I just returned from Namibia last night. We took the Lufthansa to Frankfurt, Air Namibia to Windhoek route.

First time we had flown either. The Lufthansa flights both ways were great. Great service and hard to beat that free wine to keep you relaxed. The Air Nambia flight was fine as well except that 3am flood light for breakfast.

In Frankfurt you have 14 hrs to kill. We had made arrangements to kill time in the United Red Carpet room. However we made the mistake of asking the info desk what we needed to do to get our poarding pass for Air Namibia. They sent us out through customs. We went to the Air Namibia desk only to find out it opens at 7:30 PM it was then 8:00 am. So without a pass we could not get back to the Red Carpet room. So we found 2 of the 3 chairs in the airport and spent the day. DON'T GO OUT THROUGH CUSTOMS UNTIL AROUND 7:00PM TO GET YOUR PASS.

While the Air Namibia desk opens at 7:30pm people start standing in line long before that. We got in line at 7 and there were 35 people ahead of us by the time it did open at 7:45pm the line was way around the corner.

Some people did get their pass at the gate but that opened very late and the ones we talked to had trouble getting seats together.

On the return in Windhoek. Our tickets had the fight at 8:20pm. Our PH called to verify and found they had changed it to 7:00pm. As we were waiting to board seemed like several arrived in the nick of time. They then say we are boarding through gates 1,2,3&4. So it is a made rush out the gates. Same in Frankfurt with Lufthansa. No boarding in order just "we are now boarding" and everyone rushes the plane. So don't sit and wait for your turn.

All bags made it both ways without issue.

The wife and I just returned two weeks ago from Namibia on much the same schedule. We flew Denver to Frankfurt on Lufthansa, and the flights were good. Sorry you had difficulties in the airport; ours was uneventful. We simply went out thru Customs, then to the Lufthansa counter before leaving the airport, and got our Air Namibia boarding passes from them. Half hour total since the bags were checked thru to Windhoek, and we were over to the Sheraton by 12:00 PM.

We knew we could nap on the plane, but wanted to get real sleep on the flight to windhoek since it is in the same time zone. Had my travel agent book a day room in the Sheraton for 147 Euros (about $200). While expensive for 6-7 hours or so, it was worth it to get some good sleep, and a nice bath and shower before boarding again. Out by around 6:00 PM and over to the terminal for dinner of German sandwiches and beer, and onto the plane at 10:00 PM.

Coming back from Windhoek, they do use all the 1,2,3,4 gates to go out to the plane on the tarmac. Kinda congested, just have to walk fast and get ahead of everyone. We were business class, so used the front door of the plane.

Watch out for the duty-free shop in the Windhoek airport. They sold me a couple little shrink-wrapped cases of Amarula mini bottles, and didn't seal the bag - simply tied it closed. The bag inspector in Germany freaked out when she saw all the liquid! I explained where I got it (in the secured duty-free area), she looked around, stuffed it back in my carry on, and said have a nice trip. Some people still have common-sense!

Last trip I went thru JoBerg and it was OK, but seemed longer, but this time was more pleasant thru Frankfurt. I will probably use this route again.

Curious as to the round trip cost. Thinking about going down myself but the costs I have been quoted are out of sight.
Thanks

quote:

We simply went out thru Customs, then to the Lufthansa counter before leaving the airport, and got our Air Namibia boarding passes from them.

How in the world did you know you could get Air Namibia passes at Lufthansa??? We must have asked 20 different people all saying we would have to wait for the Air Namibia desk to open. Talk about feeling stupid.

Bill you don't want to know that we paid about $3200 round trip for both of us when we bought the tickets last fall.

We just lucked out on the info for Lufthansa doing the boarding passes. All of our United and Lufthansa reservations were electronic, the Air Namibia were hard copy tickets. I told the wife I did not want to be lost, pressed for time, and trying to check in before the flight, so I simply asked the agent at the gate we came in on about getting them. She was extremely helpful and said I would have to go out to the counter (where you walk across to the Sheraton anyway), so stop and get them before going to the hotel. Thank you very much!

Our tickets did not get purchased until after SCI in Reno, because we had to confirm hunt dates, vacations and surgery schedule coverage for my wife. All the latest fuel cost increases were added in by then, as I have heard a wide range of ticket prices. Our tickets, after taxes and everything, were $2700 each. That did include the business class upgrade my agent got for the Air Namibia flight.

My wife and I just got back from Namibia as well and we went Dallas-Frankfurt-Windhoek on Lufthansa/Air Namibia. Cost us about $2000 per ticket in economy class. The Lufthansa people were very nice but the agent in Dallas did not know the rules about guns and ammunition so it took us about an hour to check in - a whole college football team got their luggage checked while I was standing there. No one cared about the packaging of the ammo - I brought my own handloads in 20 round plastic boxes. They did weigh it though. The agent wanted TSA locks on the gun case but I told her to check with TSA and the TSA agent agreed with me that regular locks were OK.

We also stayed at the Sheraton in Frankfurt during the long layover. We were about 150th in line at the Air Namibia counter when we went back to the airport - took about an hour and a half to get through that line. I wish I had known that I could get the boarding pass before I went to the hotel.

None of the airline people gave me any real trouble about guns or hunting - one Lufthansa agent in Frankfurt had all kinds of questions about what I hunted - she really seemed interested in a positive way.

Scott

This is what makes AR the best. Now I know to get my boarding passes through Lufthansa. 17 longggg days and counting.


Dulcinea