Daily Telegraph on African Air Travel

[Gouabafla]

There is an article in today's Daily Telegraph (http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/foreign/davidblair/oct06/africanairtravel.htm) on air travel in Africa. Not much that is new or surprising, but it is worth a read.

With the possible exceptions of South African Airways and Kenya Airways, hardly a single airline comes up to acceptable standards.

Many of Africa’s airports are so terrible that you don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Every airport in the developed world tries to streamline check-in, security and immigration procedures. But African airports do the exact opposite. Everything is duplicated and multiplied.

[whiskeyflyer]

where can I get a job as a journalist, so I rehash stories and get paid for it.
As regards
QUOTE Every airport in the developed world tries to streamline check-in, security and immigration procedures. QUOTE
I know a lot of people don't like the US, but it is a bit harsh the Daily Telegraph removing them from the developed world :}

[Skylion]

Bit unfair on the airlines,- if not the airports. Ethiopian and Air Malawi should be added to the good guys who are definately OK from viewpoints of both safety and service standards.

[surely not]

I would also add Virgin Nigeria and Aero Contractors to the list of good airlines.

[porridge]

Whiskeyflyer - I have to agree with you, it is indeed a bit harsh!!!!:D

[flying paddy]

I can confirm that Air Botswana have been sending all luggage checked in to go to UK, to be sent to Heathrow regardless of what airport you are going too in the UK.

I was checking an assisted passenger in for a flight to Gatwick via JHB and DBX. The girl behind the counter insisted that Heathrow was the only port of entry into the UK and that the luggage must go there first. When asked how the passenger was to collect her luggage she was told to get a bus from Gatwick to Heathrow and collect it.

Needless to say she would not change her mind and it came down to me making them off load the luggage and retagging it for JHB where the passenger would recheck it in. I pain as she had a tight schedule and could have done with just going through transit.

I went and spoke to the airline management and guess what, after speaking to the financial manager (the only person there at 12 noon on a friday) he mentioned that he was wondering why there has been an huge increase of lost luggage claims for the last month.

I know this is hard to believe but I swear this is all true.

So as you can see all is well in Africian aviation.