Cape Town flight query

[harrysjones21]

Hi All,

Currently exploring the option of travelling to Cape Town.

Currently BA have no availability to CPT and only to JNB.

So I’ve done a dummy run from LHR to JNB, flying BA.

Then a separate flight flying Flysafair/South African Airways. JNB > CPT (return).

Currently I cannot get the baggage allowances with either airline to match up with BA, seems to much hassle.

Therefore, would it be possible to fly LHR > DOH > CPT (return flight)??

I’m trying to use a BA 2-4-1 voucher but cannot see this flight option when searching.

Virgin Atlantic would also be an option, with cc voucher (75K points limit- red status).

Any suggestions please?

[AJA]

You can’t fly on QR via DOH to CPT and use the Amex 2-4-1 as it can only be used on BA IB or Aer lingus metal.

If direct flights to CPT aren’t available your only option is to fly to JNB but as you’ve discovered the baggage allowance may not be as generous as BA.

[Not Long Now...]

Adding luggage to flights in South Africa is not like LCCs here, I think SAFAIR is about 400ZAR for 40kgs, so not exactly expensive…

[Not Long Now...]

Also, they’re a lot more flexible, unlike certain European carriers. A 28kg bag and a 12kg bag is fine, don’t need to faff trying to balance them out, from my experience anyway…

[NorthernLass]

You could use your voucher on BA to DOH then get a separate flight to CPT on QR. They would be separate bookings though, with all the inherent risks attached!

[harrysjones21]

Thank you all for your suggestions!

@NorthernLass I did think about this although OH here is also risk adverse.

So to play it safe I think we’ll do what @NotLongNow suggested and we’ll use the 2-4-1 to fly CW to JNB then take an internal flight to CPT (return).

Although luggage allowances are quite different to UK standards. Cabin bag is 8kg and hold luggage is 23kg.

So we’ll need to pay for the extra luggage to tie in with our BA allowances.

[Cosmo175]

FlySafair’s “business class” allows for 2 checked 23kg bags and as mentioned above, charges for excess weight are super cheap – £10 per bag up to 32kg basically.

[Not Long Now...]

Last month we flew JNB-PLZ with Airlink, £48 each, including 20kg checked bag and 8kg carry-on, extra 20kg checked would have been about £9 I think. ‘Business’ would have included 40kg was about £220 I think, but basically you’re mainly paying for flexibility…