Arrival in Nairobi on final day of trip

mcpats

Could anyone who has taken this trip please let me know what time you arrived back in Nairobi on the final day. We need to fly to Capeetown after and they have changed the flight on SA Air to a later flight. I am wondering if we can connect the same day based on what time we arrive in Nairobi. Thanks.

BillWest66

Took this trip In September. We arrived at the Nairobi domestic airport at about 11 am. We were bused to the hotel and arrived there about noon. Had lunch, freshened up in a day room and departed at 2pm, arrived at NBO around 2:45 for a 5:40 departure.

ndvb

Yep, I made the mistake of staying an extra day....didn't need to. I would have easily have made my 1735 flight. I was being overly careful.

[Deleted User]

For those who have done this trip (we leave in 2 weeks), do you recall the latest transfer from the hotel to the airport for any of your group? Our flight isn't until 12:30 AM and from all reports, the airport isn't a place you'd choose to hang out. Or, alternatively, did they tell you the latest you had to check-out of the day room at the Serena? The trip details says dinner is included on the Nairobi day so my hope is that we can use the room after dinner and then delay the transfer to the airport to allow the minimum recommended time there...we'd rather hang out in the hotel lobby than the airport from what I've read.

AlanS

Portolan wrote:

For those who have done this trip (we leave in 2 weeks), do you recall the latest transfer from the hotel to the airport for any of your group? Our flight isn't until 12:30 AM and from all reports, the airport isn't a place you'd choose to hang out. Or, alternatively, did they tell you the latest you had to check-out of the day room at the Serena? The trip details says dinner is included on the Nairobi day so my hope is that we can use the room after dinner and then delay the transfer to the airport to allow the minimum recommended time there...we'd rather hang out in the hotel lobby than the airport from what I've read.

I may be mistaken but in one of the threads in the K&T forum about flights, etc. mentioned that the day rooms are only good until 6:00 pm. If Bill or someone doesn't chime in first, and I can find it, I'll post the update here.

Update: Sorry, I couldn't find the info.

British

I don't know what traffic is like later evening, but on our transfer it was very heavy on the way to the airport, but our trip was awhile ago so i do not remember any specifics. You may be advised to leave for there earlier than you would think necessary. As anywhere there can be delays at security, especially here. I definitely felt safer arriving there in a biggish group. I did not like the airport at all but others have said they thought it was fine.

[Deleted User]

Alan and British:

Thanks for the info. The final docs don't provide this information. It sounds like we'll be able to use the room until 6PM, check-out and leave bags with porter while we have dinner, and then head to the airport in the early evening. I get the advice on not leaving too late. I just don't want to spend any more time than necessary hanging around the airport since it sounds pretty bad from all reports. (Bad in the sense of no lounges, limited facilities, etc.).

BillWest66

Most of our group had late flights out of Nairobi; ie. after midnight. I understand that Tauck arranged the luggage pull during dinner and then had the group depart the hotel around 8 pm. Traffic in Nairobi can be very heavy and airport security quite backed up so an early departure from the hotel is advised. We did not find the airport as bad as reports had indicted. There are lounges; we flew on Ethiopian Air and they used the Kenyan Air lounge. I believe there is a KLM lounge as well.

[Deleted User]

BillWest66 wrote:

There are lounges; we flew on Ethiopian Air and they used the Kenyan Air lounge. I believe there is a KLM lounge as well.

The Kenyan Air lounge (and KLM) is Skyteam, unfortunately. We'll be on Brussels Airlines (Star Alliance).

TripAdvisor reports that you can't buy a pass to the Kenyan Air Lounge (not that we won't ask), so it seems likely we'll just be hanging out in the concourse.

Thanks for confirming my thought on check-out, dinner, then transfer. That'll still give us (more than) enough time at the airport!

AlanS

Portolan wrote:

The Kenyan Air lounge (and KLM) is Skyteam, unfortunately. We'll be on Brussels Airlines (Star Alliance).

TripAdvisor reports that you can't buy a pass to the Kenyan Air Lounge (not that we won't ask), so it seems likely we'll just be hanging out in the concourse.

Thanks for confirming my thought on check-out, dinner, then transfer. That'll still give us (more than) enough time at the airport!

Ethiopian Air is a Star Alliance member and supposedly shares the Kenyan Air lounge too, so you still may be able use it. It is worth checking out. Since I am flying ET I'm curious, but so far haven't been able to verify this on Skytrax or Flyertalk.

Update: I just found this post dated Apr 20, 2014,on FlyerTalk:

"Sitting in the KQ (Kenyan Air) lounge right now. It appears business class pax on all airlines (I'm flying Ethiopian) are admitted, but no economy pax on status (in any alliance) are admitted. "

A few posts later found this one dated Aug 6, 2014:

"There are still no lounges for non Sky-Team passengers. Kenya Airways has a lounge in Terminal 1A - the new terminal, which I am not sure is open yet, and they have one for Terminal 1B/C only for Business class Skyteam passengers."

According to this link (CGI pics at the link also): http://thedesignair.net/2014/09/12/kenya-airways-announce-new-lounge-to-match-787-product-with-pride/

The new Kenyan Air ‘Simba’ and ‘Pride’ lounges (and ticket counters) are scheduled to open at Nairobi Airport in Nov 2014, "will help tie their airport and airline product, offering business class passengers and Sky Team ‘Sky Priority’ members access to a haven of luxury with cultural design cues."

[Deleted User]

Well, that explains why Ethiopian Airlines (Star Alliance) has access to a SkyTeam Lounge. Unfortunately, while we'll be travelling to Africa in FC/BC, our return is coach so barring any Star Alliance Gold lounge access (which we'll have in Brussels), no joy in Nairobi.

[Deleted User]

Here's the reality as of our safari competed ending on 5 Feb 2015:

Tauck books the rooms at the Nairobi Serena for anything up to a full night's occupancy. The term "day room" reflects that most will be flying out sometime in the evening, but the room is yours until the transfer. We had some who were going to be leaving for the airport at 5:30 Am the next morning.

The transfers were in groups depending on your flight departure time with an expectation of getting to the airport about 2-1/2 hours before departure (we left at 9:00 PM for a flight departing at 12:30 AM...45 minutes to the airport at that time...nearly 2 hours to the airport for a group which left at 6:30 PM). Baggage pull about 30 minutes before departure. Lunch on arrival at the Serena and dinner at a time compatible with your transfer (5:00 PM for our early departure group...6:30 for us).

Other useful note for Star Alliance travelers: we're United Gold traveling home in economy leaving on Brussels Air and received a lounge invitation to the "business" lounge. Small, but nice.

travelingteacher

Portolan- I (sadly) lost my United status this year but am also flying out on Brussels Air in Business class....I was assuming the lounge would be open to me. Do you agree? Small is better than none! How was your flight on Brussels Air? I've never flown them before.

[Deleted User]

travelingteacher wrote:

Portolan- I (sadly) lost my United status this year but am also flying out on Brussels Air in Business class....I was assuming the lounge would be open to me. Do you agree? Small is better than none! How was your flight on Brussels Air? I've never flown them before.

Yes, flying business class will get you into the lounge at Nairobi. WRT Brussels Air flight...I'm sure it will be great in business.

Unfortunately, while we traveled over in F/J, we came back in economy. It would have been fine for anyone between 5'6" and 5'10". Unfortunately, I'm 6'1" and it was very hard to find a place for my legs, especially when the person in front reclined. My wife (under the aforementioned 5'6") also found the seat to deep for her, though she was able to sleep unlike me. Your options are limited if you want to fly on Star Alliance with the other option being Ethiopian.

Food and IFE were fine in economy. Just beware if you are tall or short.

travelingteacher

Portolan- I'm glad to hear the lounge will be available to me. While I am only 5'4" and already shrinking, I attempted to choose my airlines and airports carefully when I booked this trip (a while ago). Tauck did not offer flights with the Star Alliance for this trip. I wanted to avoid riskier airports and airlines (which is why I choose to fly out on Brussels Air and am going in on Turkish Air), and then the world went crazy. Just my luck! I was also fortunate enough to have enough miles to be able to book my flight in and out of Africa in luxury (flatbeds). While going in an extra day to adjust to time changes and altitude (I will be coming down from a mile high), I plan on sleeping comfortably as I spend a full day traveling in each direction. I have heard good things about Ethiopian and had looked into their flights with the United representative when I booked, but the flights I had worked out to be a few less hours of travel time. It is taking me so long to go back and forth, I looked at every extra hour at a lounge or on board as something I wanted to shave off.

British

I just wanted to stress again that Tauck will book ANY flights for you on any airlines you ask them. When we did the tour to K and T about 2007 we were not aware of this and used their choices which involved an unnecessary flight from Philly to Detriot, Delta, a longish wait there and then KLM Detriot to Amsterdam. This past time we chose to go from Newark to Amsterdam Delta and KLM, a very convenient way for us, and Tauck booked that for us. They never explained originally that we could chose what flights we wanted. Now we always tell Tauck exactly what we want, the exact flights, unless on the rare occasion we book ourselves, usually on one of the US tours. Hope this helps clarify for some.

AlanS

British wrote:

I just wanted to stress again that Tauck will book ANY flights for you on any airlines you ask them. When we did the tour to K and T about 2007 we were not aware of this and used their choices which involved an unnecessary flight from Philly to Detroit, Delta, a longish wait there and then KLM Detroit to Amsterdam. This past time we chose to go from Newark to Amsterdam Delta and KLM and Tauck booked that for us. They never explained originally that we could chose what flights we wanted. Now we always use them and tell them exactly what we want, unless on the rare occasion we book ourselves, usually on one of the US tours. Hope this helps clarify for some.

I will offer just one qualifier- Tauck can't book every carrier. I don't know all the details, but when I was booking our K&T flights, I was told by the Tauck air rep they could not book my flights on Ethiopian Airlines since they do not have an agreement with them.

travelingteacher

Agreed- While Tauck was willing to book my K/T flight with Delta, I do not have miles with them and they were unable to book United for me. I was going to pay (and arm, leg and a few other body parts) to fly and re-earn my United status, I decided to use my miles for this trip since I wanted to be able to sleep as it is so long (as are the layovers). Tauck deals with all airlines, but their contracts are not in every market. I also wanted to avoid both Newark and Amsterdam (among others) on this trip as well as several others....however, 2 years ago my mother and were taking an excursion on the Queen Elizabeth and had a lovely flight with Delta (The seat in front of me was occupied by Malala Yousafzai, as she and her family were returning from NY and heading back to England after she spoke at the UN

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We had a wonderful talk and what an incredible young lady she is. I called my son from the plane before we took off and he was thrilled knowing the flight was going to be safe because it probably had MANY federal air marshals on board! And yes, we read her book recently in my book club. It is worth the read and helps one understand what is happening in this part of the world and even puts the recent attack on the school in perspective.) Trivia aside, my point is still the same, Tauck's air support is wonderful, but they cannot do every airline for every trip.

British

I think there might be some confusion here, Tauck can book any airline, but the price you pay is what you see when you look yourself on line, it is not a contacted price for them. That is they do not have to have an agreement. We have booked United flights with them. Also this is not something you can use air miles for, but you will earn airlines for the flight.