No queues for Club and First World passengers made boarding a breeze and once in my seat
BACKGROUND:: The only airline to fly straight to London from Cape Town all year around, British Airways offers 65 direct flights per week from Johannesburg to Heathrow and Gatwick airports, taking around nine hours and 10 minutes on its Airbus A380. The only drawback for South African passport holders wanting to fly British Airways via London onto a European destination, is that you have to set aside at least 21 working days beforehand to acquire a transit visa at an additional cost of R1050 ($75).
CHECK-IN: Since I’d already checked in online, this went smoother than the Crème de Cassis in BA’s Kir Royale signature drink. I dropped off my suitcase weighing 20 kilograms, well under the permitted two check-in bags with a combined weight of 64 kilograms that Club World allows, and ambled off to the British Airways Galleries Club Lounge at O.R. Tambo International Airport where I found free wi-fi, comfy chairs, magazines, palatable snacks – I’m a fussy ‘no-to-GMO’ eater – and a decent double espresso. White orchids added to the sense of hushed tranquillity.
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