There is more to consider than just the ticket price when booking a flight from Lagos to Johannesburg. This article will walk you through 12 factors to reflect on before settling on a Lagos flight in Nigeria to Johannesburg, South Africa. Without a doubt, Nigerians travel to South Africa for education, leisure, medical and business purposes. On the Lagos – Joburg flight route, there are over 15 passenger flights you can choose from. Understandably, several factors are bound to influence your choice of a particular airline. Hence, this article is written to help you pick a flight that will match your pocket, convenience, and comfort.
I have listed below 12 factors to consider before choosing a flight from Lagos to Johannesburg. For your convenience, you can browse through this article using the pointers as a table of content below:
- Air safety record
- Ticket price
- Cheapest month to fly from Lagos to Joburg.
- Schedule (shortest overall trip time, availability of non-stop flights, routing)
- Baggage allowance
- Mileage accrual and benefits (frequent flyer benefits/perks)
- Getting the seat you desire
- Onboard facilities (onboard products, inflight entertainment, onboard comforts such as comfy seats, wifi, seat pitch, direct TV, first bag free allowance)
- Age of the Fleet
- Possibility of delays on the route
- Alliance ability
- Airline reviews
- Air Safety record
Arriving safely at your destination should ideally be your first and primary concern as an air traveller. An airline’s aviation safety rating is an essential factor to consider when picking a flight to board from Lagos to Johannesburg.
Databases contain daily updates and descriptions of airline safety occurrences since 1919. However, rating an airline based on previous accidents is also not an accurate indicator of airline safety as air crashes are infrequent and often unpredictable. Click here for a full checklist of the seven-star safety assessment criteria used for all airlines.
What makes an airline safe?
An airline’s safety profile is represented by stars earned from audits from the aviation industry and the government; and information from crash data. The highest attainable stars are seven.
AirlineRatings.com has a comprehensive ranking system that encompasses over 405 airlines and utilizes several criteria in ranking airlines based on Aviation Safety. Factors used by this website to determine airline safety include:
- Audits from the aviation industry and governing bodies: two major audits are conducted here and attract two stars each. The International Air Transport Association Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) has more than a thousand parameters, and audits are biennial. The second audit is carried out by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and it evaluates a country’s aviation infrastructure and airline regulations.
- Audits from governments: airlines that are not listed on the European Union Banned list are given an additional star. An extra star is added for airlines, not in the United States of America’s banned list.
- Records of airline crashes and other serious incidents: an airline also earns a star if it has not recorded any fatality for ten years.
- The airline fleet’s age: To be considered in the ranks, an airline’s fleet must have an average age of 10 years or below.
- Usage of the aviation industry’s top-of-the-line safety initiatives: the use of modern technology helps to improve the safety profile of an airline
- The profitability of the airline: this is a measure of the trust people have in the airline.
- Ticket price
There are over fifteen airlines that ply the Lagos – Joburg flight route. Finding the cheapest flight without sacrificing comfort is an essential factor in choosing Lagos’ flight to Johannesburg.
Moreover, several factors determine the ticket price of airlines. Some of these factors include:
- The time you buy your ticket: Last-minute tickets are generally more expensive than tickets that have been purchased a few days to weeks before departure. Airlines typically sell their cheapest tickets early. Booking your tickets days or weeks, or even months in advance will boost your chances of getting a better deal.
- Fuel: The recent drop in oil prices affects air transport. Low jet fuel prices will be associated with a lower ticket price.
- Ticket Class: The primary determinant of the ticket price is the ticket class. First-class, business class, and economy class tickets command different prices. However, it is necessary to select the best airline that offers the best services to cater to your budget.
- Direct or connecting flight: Transit flights from Lagos to Johannesburg are often cheaper than direct flights. However, direct flights eliminate the inconveniences associated with connecting flights and might be more cost-saving in the long run. At the moment, only South African Airways (SAA) offers direct flights from Lagos to Joburg.
The list of airlines offering transit flights from Lagos to Johannesburg include:
- Air France
- British Airways
- TAAG Angola
- Emirates
- RwandAir
- Ethiopian Air
- Etihad
- Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM)
- ASKY
- Kenya Airways
- Lufthansa
- Egypt Air
- Qatar
- Turkish
- Virgin Atlantic
On the Lagos to Johannesburg flight route, you can find available flights from the above airlines, compare their prices, and instantly book your ticket here.
- Cheapest month to fly from Lagos to Joburg
The month you choose to travel from Lagos to Joburg also affects your ticket price. The cheapest month to fly from Lagos to Johannesburg might also be dependent on the airlines. Airlines have promotions and bonuses at different times of the year, affecting their tickets’ prices.
The season also affects the ticket price. Travelling during festive periods like Christmas is generally more expensive. Weekend and mid-day flights also command a higher price than night flights and flights during the week. You can also get more affordable flight rates by booking 14 – 21 days in advance.
- Schedule and availability of non-stop flights
The availability of direct flights is a factor in considering when choosing a flight from Lagos to Johannesburg. Non-stop flights may command a higher ticket price than transit flights. Although transit flights are generally cheaper, the risk of bad weather and flight delays may affect your connecting flights. When the convenience, comfort, and overall short trip time of direct flights are compared with connecting flights, the difference is clear. South African Airways (SAA) is the only airline offering direct flights from Lagos to Joburg.
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- Baggage allowance
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has a standard baggage allowance. However, airlines have different restrictions on the size, weight, and number of luggage allowed per passenger. These restrictions are determined by the type of ticket, passenger status (frequent flyer), and ticket class. Airlines also differ in the fees they charge to upgrade your baggage allowance.
Airlines have policies for checked baggage and carry-on luggage. The allowance may be free of charge or incur additional costs. Compare the different baggage allowances, cost to upgrade, and benefits such as Frequent Flyer Perks (FFP) of the different airlines flying the Lagos to Johannesburg route before making a decision. Air passengers can access the information on the baggage allowance on airline’s websites.
- Mileage accrual and benefits
The various airlines flying the Lagos to Joburg route have different Mileage accrual or Frequent Flyer Perks or Programs (FFP). These are loyalty programs designed to boost the travel experiences of their customers. You accumulate points (Miles or KIlometres) determined by the distance covered on the airline and its partners, ticket class, and the amount spent on the travels.
Points are also earned using credit or debit cards linked to the airlines to purchase goods and services such as hotels, retails, care hires, travel class upgrades, and priority bookings. Linked cards are associated with substantial signup bonuses.
Do you frequently fly between Lagos and Johannesburg? If yes, you should consider enrolling on a Frequent Flyer program. The perks associated with the Frequent Flyer Program (FFP) airline should be a factor you consider when choosing an airline to fly from Lagos to Johannesburg. The signups for these programs are usually free, and your account is active as long as you continue to fly with the airline.
How to redeem your Airline miles
After setting up your Frequent Flyer account and travel credit card, you have accumulated miles from your travels. You can use your points to pay for round trips or separate flights. Do not accumulate your points for too long, as devaluation may affect their worth.
- Getting the seat you want
Different flight seats are desired/avoided on an airplane for various reasons:
- Aisle seats are desired as they offer you the opportunity to debark quickly from the plane
- Window seats offer you the chance to rest your head during a night flight
- Exit row seats give you more room to stretch your legs
- Seats that are close to the flight attendants and restrooms are usually noisy and busy.
The ease of getting a seat you desire should be considered when choosing a Lagos flight to Johannesburg. There are numerous tips you can use to get a seat you want on an airline. They include:
- Frequent Flyer Perks: airlines offer their loyal customers the opportunity to upgrade their seats.
- Choose your seat at booking: you can choose a seat when you buy tickets on some airlines’ websites. You can also hold on to your reservation when you do not see the desired seat until one becomes available; this service is free on some airlines, and some airlines charge extra fees for this service.
- Confirm your seat when you check-in: You can check-in online on some airlines such as SAA when flying the Lagos to the Johannesburg route. Checking-in allows you to verify your seat or choose a more suitable one. Airlines also have last-minute discounts on upgrades, and some airlines withhold the best seats until moments before departure; these give you the chance to upgrade or select a seat you want.
- Onboard Facilities
Onboard facilities such as comfortable seats, seat pitch, DirectTV, and first bag free allowances all play essential roles in selecting an airline to fly from Lagos to Joburg.
The comfort offered by a seat is often defined by the material used in its manufacture, seat width, and seat pitch.
- Material: seats on airlines are often lightweight, but firm. The top layer of the aircraft seat is made of either leather or cloth. Leather seats are generally more expensive than seats with cloth finishing. The thickness of the seat-back also affects the available leg space.
- Seat pitch: This is the space between a seat and the seat in front. Seat pitches are determined by and increase with the ticket class. There has been a reduction in seat pitches in several airlines over the years. However, thinner seat-backs have compensated for this reduction.
The availability of entertainment such as Live TV, Wifi, and power outlets on an airline are essential factors to consider when choosing Lagos’s flight to Johannesburg.
- Age of the Fleet
The safety profile and the airline’s comfort are linked with the average age of aeroplanes in an airline’s fleet. Planes that have an average age of ten years or below are considered in airlines’ safety rating.
Newer aircraft are equipped with state-of-the-art aviation safety systems and protocols. They also have more contemporary designs and onboard facilities that improve comfort and the overall travel experience. The age of an airline’s fleet should be considered in making flying decisions from Lagos to Joburg.
- Possibility of delays on a route
Flight delays and diversions are significant sources of concern for air travellers. Delays, cancellations, and diversions can be caused by an aeroplane’s mechanical issues, passenger boarding, late-arriving flight crew, bad weather, air traffic control problems, and congestions at airports or runways.
Airport operations are a significant cause of delays and should be considered when booking a flight. The location of the airport an airline operates should also be considered. Airports situated in busy cities are prone to delays in passenger boarding and congestions at airports.
Significant delays occur when three per cent (3%) or more of flights leaving or arriving at an airport are delayed for 15minutes or more.
The boarding procedure of an airline can also result in delays. Priority boarding and special boarding procedures for cases such as for the elderly can reduce delays by airlines.
Recurrent delays in an airline’s operations constitute a significant factor in considering choosing a flight from Lagos to Johannesburg.
- Alliance ability
An airline alliance is a group of airlines that cooperate in baggage handling, booking, connecting, and marketing flights. Airline alliances do not equate to profit sharing. It helps airlines to cater to the needs of their numerous customers.
Travelling with an airline that possesses an airline alliance opens you to the following benefits:
- Seemless ticket booking
- Easy check-ins
- Enjoy benefits such as free seat selections, priority check-ins, and aircraft boarding.
- Earn and redeem Frequent Flyer Perks on other airlines on the alliance.
- Ability to utilize the lounges of airlines in the alliance
Airlines that are members of a broad alliance are an attractive choice when selecting an airline to fly from Lagos to Joburg.
- Airline Review
Airline reviews allow you to experience the services offered by an airline through the eyes of previous customers.
Previous passengers of an airline upload photos and comments about their experience of an airline’s services, providing you with a valuable resource to use when using an airline for your trip.
The reviews may contain customer service experience, ease of connecting flights, the comfort of the aircraft seats, boarding procedures, onboard facilities available on the fleet, and the airline lounges’ comfort. However, these reviews are the product of personal preference, and decisions about an airline should not be based solely on customer reviews.
With the above 12 tips, I hope you will find them useful when choosing a flight from Lagos to Johannesburg.
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