Tips for passengers travelling over the festive season
The summer holiday period remains the busiest time of the year for Africa’s largest airport which processed more than 3.5 million passengers last December and January alone.
According to Leigh Gunkel-Keuler, senior manager Corporate Affairs, OR Tambo International Airport, a tremendous amount of planning goes into ensuring that they are for the holiday season.
“Preparations consist of airlines, ground handlers and retailers, among others, so that we are fully geared to cope with additional demands that come with higher volumes of passengers and airport users over this festive season,” said Gunkel-Keuler.
Gunkel-Keuler hopes that travellers will also remember that the festive period is a particularly appropriate time to do something positive for those less fortunate and for companies to give back to communities where possible.
OR Tambo International Airport, shares advice for passengers travelling over the festive season:
- Put some planning into getting to the airport and what you will do with your vehicle if other transport is not feasible. The airport has long-term parking with shuttles to the departures and arrivals entrances.
- Take special care to look into any service that offers to pick up your car at the drop-off point. These services are not part of the airport’s offering and people using them do so at their own risk.
- Get to the airport early. Give yourself and your family enough time to check in and relax a bit. There’s no reason to start off a holiday stressed out over catching flights.
- Set aside some time to view the recently unveiled statue of O. R. Tambo which greets visitors at the international arrivals hall.
- Make sure you’ve checked your airline’s terms and conditions. This applies especially to baggage restrictions.
- Staff at security gates have been instructed to enforce airline rules on hand luggage, so do ensure that you adhere to the weight and height restrictions.
- Remember that airlines warn passengers at the time of booking not to put any items of value in checked-in luggage.
- Take care when using headphones while waiting for a flight to board as you could easily miss an announcement.
- If you’re uncertain of anything or need help, the airport has a number of information kiosks as well as staff members in uniform able to respond quickly.
