Airports Company South Africa says it has started to enforce the regulations regarding hand luggage at all of its airports. This is with the intention of aligning passengers’ hand luggage carried onboard flights with aviation safety and compliance standards. This applies to domestic, regional and international flights.

The aim is to identify passengers with non-compliant items before they reach the security checkpoint. Non-compliant passengers will be directed back to check-in counters to transfer their baggage to checked-in baggage.

Hand luggage is to be weighed before the security check counter.

Hand baggage allowance:

  Economy-class passengers: one bag plus one slimline laptop bag or handbag.
  Premium-class passengers: two bags plus a slimline laptop bag. (A slimline laptop bag means a bag of a size and thickness specifically designed to carry a laptop and charger and does not include bags capable of carrying items such as documents, clothes and other items.)

 Bags may not exceed the total dimensions of 56cm x 36cm x 23cm.
 Weight limit per bag: 7kg.
 Passengers who exceed the hand luggage limit will be subject to the specific airline’s excess baggage rules.

The regulations are not new, but with the usual seasonal increase in traffic at, the intention is to enforce them.  

These regulations are considered essential, not only to uphold hand baggage policies but also to prioritise cabin and flight safety and are in alignment with global best practices.

Access to the NamibRand Nature Reserve (Namibia) will become easier.....
 
Starting 1 Apr 2023, FlyNamibia (in partnership with Airlink) is introducing a flight to the  Keerweder airstrip. This will made access to the Wolwedans Lodge Collection much easier.

Starting off with a quick 50 minute flight from Windhoek Airport to Keerweder Airstrip, Wolwedans will meet guests and take them on a stunning scenic drive (approx. 45 minutes) to Wolwedans Village.

MON, WED, FRI, & SAT:
09:40 departs WINDHOEK - 10:30 arrives KEERWEDER

TUES, THURS, & SUN:
15:00  departs KEERWEDER - 15:50 arrives WINDHOEK

The Malawian Minister of Tourism has announced that as of 01 January 2023, visitors from "key tourism source countries" will be able to enter Malawi without paying for visas. Some of the countries mentioned are:

United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Italy, France, Poland, The Netherlands, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Australia.

This is good news, as Zambia, which makes a great addition to Malawi, from a holiday and Safari experience, has also updated its Visa stance recently.

 Some good news for travel to Botswana.

As of 14 February 2022, fully vaccinated travellers no longer require to have a negative PCR test in order to enter Botswana.

*All persons entering must show proof that they have been fully vaccinated. If a traveller is overdue for a booster shot, they are no longer regarded as fully vaccinated, until they have taken the booster shot.

When a person is not fully vaccinated, they will be required to present a negative PCR Covid-19 test result obtained within 72 hours of arrival or departure.

​Covid-19 Travel issues have added a new set of terms for all of us in Tourism… here is some useful information

PCR test = polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This test is performed to detect genetic material from a specific organism, in this case, a virus. The test detects the presence of a virus if you are infected at the time of the test. This is considered the best test for detecting Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2, and its variants). The virus can be detected within days of infection, even in people who have no symptoms. The test can be done in a clinic or hospital. They are also often available on a ''drive-through'' basis in many countries.

Turnaround time is generally in the 2-3 day range but results can be obtained in as little as 24 hours.

This test uses a swab to take a sample from a person’s nose or throat.

A negative PCR test is needed for entry into most countries. Generally you need a certificate that is valid within 72 hours prior to travel (in some cases, 48 hours). This needs to be printed out and available to show at the airport both when checking-in and upon arrival at your destination.

All travellers are responsible for the cost of the PCR test.


Rapid Antigen Test = identifies people who are currently infected with the coronavirus. It may be used as a quick test to detect active infections. Antigen tests can identify the virus in the nose and throat secretions. It does this by looking for proteins from the virus (as opposed to the diagnostic test, which looks for genetic material). This test can be done in a clinic, hospital or at an Airport.

Turnaround time for results is usually very quick and in some cases, results can be reported within 15 minutes.

The specimen is collected with a swab that reaches less than 2.5 cm (1 inch) inside the nose.

In some cases these are being requested upon arrival, as an additional precaution (for instance in Botswana, where the test is free).