My wife and I are going to africa in late May. We return mid June. I saved my freq flier miles and was lucky enough to snag 2 round trip first class tickets from ATL to JNB on Delta. I booked the Delta legs of the trip myself. The intra-Africa flights were booked for us by an agent on South African Air.

Our flight home begins on June 16 in WDH on South African Air. We connect in JNB with Delta that same day for the flight back to ATL.

How do I get my bags checked straight thru from WDH to ATL when my official "itinerary" in the South African Airline computers as well as the documents i will receive from the agent do not reflect the JNB same day connection because i booked the Delta flight myself?

I sure would like to avoid claiming and rechecking my luggage in JNB on the way home especially since i will be traveling thru there during world cup time.

Is there a way to make that happen?

Just tell the agent at check in in Windhoek to check your bags all the way through to Atlanta. It should not be a problem as I did the same thing for my wife and I last september. Be sure to double check the bagage tag.

Along the same lines, I assume you will be overnighting in Joberg since the Atl flight does not get in until about 5:30 PM. If so, be sure your bags are not checked through to Windhoek or you will be without your bags on your overnight. Had I not checked my bag tags leaving Atl in September, that is what would have happened to us.

and have the gate at delta check to make sure your bags are on the plane