Table of Contents for this topic:
- Airlines from SA - UK - Ireland
- Airlines from SA - another country- Ireland
- One-way or return flights?
- Baggage allowance and excess baggage
Summary:
There are no direct flights from SA to Ireland.
All airlines will fly via another country.
Most flights will fly to Dublin.
You can arrange flights via another country to Cork or Shannon.
There are no flights from Dublin to Cork
Airlines from SA- UK- Ireland
Many flights will go via the UK, however, please note any South African only passport holder will need to be in possession of a FULL UK STANDARD VISITOR visa if you fly from UK to Ireland.
Even though you are inside the airport, you actually pass through an international terminal into a domestic terminal and are therefore considered inside the UK.
This does not apply if YOU hold a UK/Irish or EU passport, but if for example your spouse or child does not hold a UK/Irish or EU passport THEY will need a UK Standard visitor visa.
Northern Ireland
Q.1 Will an Irish visa allow me to travel to Northern Ireland?
No. If you wish to travel to Northern Ireland, you will require a UK visa.
Northern Ireland consists of Counties Antrim, Armagh, Derry, Down, Fermanagh and Tyrone.
If you are travelling to the Republic of Ireland, and you intend to also visit Northern Ireland and return to the Republic, you must obtain a multiple-entry Irish visa and a UK visa.
If your main destination is Northern Ireland but you arrive in, and depart from the Republic of Ireland, you must first obtain a UK visa, and then a multi-entry Irish visa.
Airlines from SA- another country- Ireland
Airlines that can fly South Africa to Dublin via another country (not UK) whereby you will not need a visitor visa unless you plan to leave the airport and enter that country. Generally, you will stay within the international (airside) part of the airport and therefore not need visa for South African passport holders. Be very careful when you book, some of these flights MAY still go via the UK. Check the stops very carefully
Air France and KLM code-share flights so you may be on a plane from either airline
A note on One-way or return flights
As entry into Ireland is as the discretion of Border Management Unit (BMU), and some people may not be granted entry (be that for many reasons), the return of that passenger to their home country is in the hands of the airline. The airline at check-in will decide if you need a return leg and this could be enforced at check-in, or they may call ahead to BMU and ask if you are likely to be returned or if you entry seems legit.
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If you feel you and your family have righful entry and have all the paperwork you need to prove your entry as legit, and if your purpose for arrival is immigration or if you are in possession of a work permit, then a 1-way flight may be sufficient.
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If you feel that there is an outside chance you may be declined entry as your paperwork is incomplete or complicated, or if your purpose for entry is holiday, then you really need to get a return ticket.
The choice is completely yours. If you choose a return ticket, then make certain the type of ticket your buy is a refundable, some tickets cannot get a refund if cancelled. also, check the prices of each leg of the journey, you may find a difference between each leg of the journey in price and therefore refund may not be 50% of the ticket. If you have any queries speak to the airline directly and find out their policies on one-way flights and return tickets and cancellation of the return leg should you not use that return leg.
Note on medical insurance to cover 1-way flights:
When you submit a claim, they check the details you provided them before you purchased their product. If you buy one of their leisure products, telling them you have a return date, and you are traveling on a one-way ticket, they will turn your claim down because you bought a product that requires a return date.
Their claim administrators will ask for the following if you claim:
Plane ticket in the name of the person being submitted for
Passport
Any bills, receipts, or documentation related to the type of claim being submitted
If any of these things contradict the information you provided when you bought your policy, the claim could be rejected.
Baggage allowance and Excess baggage
Make sure you check the size(dimensions: height, length and depth of the bag), weight and type of bag you can use with your airline. Outsized or overweight bags can be charged for and this can be extremely expensive. Most airlines allow you to book overweight or extra baggage in advance at a discount. The airport also can have a say in the size and weight of your bags and extra luggage because the normal process is that your luggage travels along conveyor belts through the airport to the plane. Where outsized or mishapen bags matter is that they can break themselves or damage the conveyor systems so it may have to carried manually.
You may choose to wrap your bags to add extra security to your bags. Bag wrapping HERE
Always put locks on your bags and do not put valuables like jewellry, phones, laptops and cameras in your check-in luggage.
ACSA advice HERE
OR Tambo airport HERE
King Shaka airport HERE
Cape Town airport HERE
Some people do fly with "Pep" bags (soft bags usually made of plastic woven material that is extremely light) instead of standard travel suitcases because its lighter than a suitcase. This is because people believe you can pack more for the weight allowance. If you do use "Pep" bags, make certain you line it with a stiff cardboard to ensure it has flat sides, many people buy the Large ones and then buy W9 boxes from Westpak and cut the box to fit or cardboard from old cardboard boxes. OR Tambo airport reported a few years ago that they would no longer accept mishapen bags. Be sure to check with your airline or the airport to see if these bags are accepted. People have flown with them since this announcement without issue, however we cannot guarantee this will always be the case. Mishapen bags HERE and HERE
OR TAMBO AIRPORT UPDATE 2/11/23:
How to pack the PEP bags VIDEO - if you choose to chance it
'Irregular Baggage' Rules OR Tambo Airport
June 2019 - The OR Tambo International Airport has announced that it will be extending its 'Irregular Baggage' Rules over the months of June and July.
The 'Irregular Baggage' restriction was put in place in March 2019 as part of a soft launch phase aimed at preventing blockages and breakdowns in the baggage handling system caused by these bags, as per the International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidelines.
The restriction is for round bags, bags with long hanging straps and those without flat surfaces.
Says OR Tambo International Airport General Manager, Bongiwe Pityi, "OR Tambo Airport handles around 35K bags every single day. Currently, irregular baggage like duffel bags without a flat bottom or big backpacks with long straps only account for about 1% of this amount of baggage."However, "...sometimes it's one bag that causes these jams," says Pityi.
Passengers with "irregular" bags, will be offered the option of having their baggage wrapped to give it a flat side at approved wrapping stations. Alternatively, passengers can remove the straps or tape the straps flat, incorporating a flat surface in the process.
Global best practice indicates that large international airports are increasingly adopting acceptable baggage standards. Most recently, Terminal 1 at Dubai International Airport instituted the same kind of baggage rules.
"We very much appreciate that these new baggage rules will potentially create inconvenience or additional cost for some passengers, so this is not a step we have taken lightly," says Kris Reddy, Assistant General Manager at the OR Tambo International Airport.
"We have investigated this matter over about a year and considered a variety of alternatives. Bags must have at least one flat surface, and bags with longs straps will also not be allowed at check-in counters," Reddy continues.
Passengers should note, this rule only applies to passengers departing out of OR Tambo International Airport. The normal rules for hand luggage are still applicable.
Acceptable Baggage Rules
- 1. Only regular-shaped bags will be allowed at check-in counters.
- 2. Bags must have at least one flat surface to be accepted.
- 3. Bags with long hanging straps will not be accepted for check-in. Passengers will be requested to secure or remove straps before checking in.
- 4. Round bags will not be allowed at check-in counters.
To Comply:
- 1. Passengers can visit a baggage-wrapping station at OR Tambo International Airport to wrap their bags at a standard cost of R90 per bag. (Wrapping charges are the same for regular and irregular baggage.)
- 2. No additional cost for insertion of a flat surface base.
- 3. All costs required to make an irregular bag compliant to the requirements must be paid by the passenger.
Things like chidlren's carseats or prams may be considered extra baggage or may be included in the ticket price. Check with the airline!
Music and sports equipment may be considered extra baggage or may be included in the ticket price. Check with the airline!
This information was taken off the various websites so that you can have an easy comparison between the airlines. HOWEVER the information can change at any time, so please open the link and check the info is correct at the time you are reading this.
Virgin Atlantic baggage allowance
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1 x 23kg in Economy
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Dimensions 90 x 75 x 43cm
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Excess baggage HERE
British Airways baggage allowance
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1 x 23kg in Economy
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Dimensions 90 x 75 x 43cm
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Excess baggage HERE
South African airways baggage allowance
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1 x 23kg in Economy
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Dimensions not to exceed 158cm The maximum sum of the three dimensions (length + width + height)
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Excess baggage HERE
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2 x 23kg in Economy
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Dimensions not to exceed 150cm The maximum sum of the three dimensions (length + width + height)
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Excess baggage HERE
Ethiopian Airlines baggage allowance
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2 x 23kg in Economy
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Dimensions not to exceed 158cm The maximum sum of the three dimensions (length + width + height)
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Excess baggage HERE
Turkish Airlines baggage allowance
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1 x 30kg in Economy
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Dimensions not to exceed 158cm The maximum sum of the three dimensions (length + width + height)
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Excess baggage HERE
Air France and KLM code-share flights so you may be on a plane from either airline
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1 x 23kg in Economy Light, Economy Flex and Economy Standard 2 x 23kg KLM HERE and Air France
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Dimensions not to exceed 158cm The maximum sum of the three dimensions (length + width + height)
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Number x Weight depends on type of Economy ticket: HERE
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Dimensions not to exceed width 72 cm, height 90 cm and depth 45 cm
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Excess baggage HERE
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2 x 23kg in Economy
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Dimensions not to exceed 300cm The maximum sum of the three dimensions (length + width + height)
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Excess baggage HERE
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2 x 23kg in Economy
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Dimensions not to exceed 158cm The maximum sum of the three dimensions (length + width + height)
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Excess baggage HERE
- 1 x 23kg in Economy
- Dimensions not to exceed 158cm The maximum sum of the three dimensions (length + width + height)
- Excess baggage HERE
What should I or can I bring with me to Ireland? - A guide on shipping goods to Ireland and what you should bring or leave, and on Customs when you fly into Ireland and what you can or can't bring with you
After this article please read the next two:
Tips on the Flying Process: How and what to do and say at each stage of the flying process from SA to Ireland
Entry in to Ireland - To enter in to Ireland, what documents do I need and how does it work?
Important links:
#MapMyMove- Our coaching Services - Confused or lost and need some direction, book a session with us to help untangle the confusion and work out your route of immigration
Visiting Ireland - As South Africa is a non-visa required country what documents do I need to enter Ireland on holiday?
Letter of Invitation - For family joining you later in Ireland/ Coming on Holiday/ Job Interview
Entry in to Ireland - To enter in to Ireland, what documents do I need and how does it work?
Documents for Ireland - A list of recommended documents to arrange before leaving South Africa
Paperwork at your fingertips - Links to forms needed in Ireland, that you may want to review whilst still in South Africa
Checklist of things to do before you move - We have produced a unique checklist of things to make sure you have done before leaving South Africa
Summary of the EU Directive (EU Treaty) - For EU Treaty members, a summary of the Directive highlighting the important parts, this is often needed on leaving SA airports where they may ask for a visa
Home Affairs Documents - Home Affairs documents and what is the difference between Abridged/Unabridged/Full and Vault?
Home Affairs Agents and Contacts - A list of contacts and agents who deal with Home Affairs documents
What can I bring to Ireland? - A guide on shipping goods to Ireland and what you should bring or leave, and on Customs when you fly into Ireland and what you can or can't bring with you