TRAVEL TIPS
& ADVICE

• Passport valid for 6 months after your return date and with sufficient blank pages
• Air ticket
• Labels for your luggage
• Valid visas for the countries you are visiting
• Unabridged Birth Certificates for minors
• Vouchers for hotels/car hire/tours
• Inoculation certificate where necessary
• Comprehensive travel insurance – essential
• Valid international and local driver’s licences
• Travellers cheques/bank notes/cash cards
• NEP Customs Declarations for valuables that you are taking out of and bringing back into South Africa

Domestic:

minimum of 1 hour prior to flight time

International:

minimum of 2-3 hours prior to flight time.
Please note that with some airlines, failure to arrive for a flight will result in the cancellation of your onward flights.

Please take note of the following:

Most airlines encourage online check-in 24 hours prior to departure. This will save time at the airport and often enable seat selection.
All passengers are personally responsible for ensuring that they are in possession of the correct documentation prior to departure. Howick Travel does not accept responsibility for any consequences whatsoever, arising from a passenger failing to ensure that he or she has complied with the necessary health, passport, visa and insurance requirements.
For hotel reservations: If your hotel accommodation has been reserved on a guaranteed arrival basis, please note that if you “No Show” penalties will apply; Should you be arriving at any hotel later than 18h00, please phone the hotel and advise them of your late arrival; Should you be cancelling any hotel accommodation, please ensure that you obtain a cancellation reference number.

All South African Citizens must travel on a South African passport. If they also hold a foreign passport this may be used to enter and depart the country from which that passport originated. Non-citizens travelling on foreign passports must prove their status upon re-entry into South Africa. The onus is on the foreign passport holders to ensure that they meet the necessary requirements.

Duty-Free Allowances:

Cigarettes 200; Cigars 20; Cigarette or pipe tobacco 250g; Wine 2 litres; Spirits or other alcoholic beverages 1 litre; Perfume 50ml; Eau de Toilette 250 ml; Gifts, souvenirs and all other goods R3 000. A person under 18 is not entitled to tobacco, cigarettes or drinks allowances.

This is subject to change – see www.sars.gov.za for full details.

Coming through Customs:

Green Channel: Only if you have nothing to declare.

Red Channel: If you have goods to declare. You will be required to pay duty on any items which are over the limit.

Security:

You may be aware that security at all airports worldwide has been intensified. Your baggage may be searched and screened and you could be subject to body searches. If you are travelling to the USA, the locks on your checked baggage must be TSA approved.

You may not carry any sharp instruments or flammable items in your hand luggage. Anything of this nature must be placed into your checked luggage going into the hold of the aircraft.

The regulations and limitations with regards to carrying liquids and gels in your hand luggage are listed below.

You are only allowed to take small quantities of liquids in your hand luggage. These liquids must be in individual containers with a maximum capacity of 100 millilitres each. You must pack these containers in one transparent re-sealable plastic bag of not more than a total of one litre capacity per passenger.

Liquids include:
• Waters and other drinks, soups, syrups
• Creams, lotions and oils
• Perfumes
• Sprays
• Gels, including hair and shower gels
• Contents of pressurized containers, including shaving foam, deodorants etc.
• Pastes, including toothpaste
• Liquid-solid mixtures
• Mascara
• Any other item of similar consistency

Security screening:

present all liquids carried, to the screeners at security checkpoints for examination; you may be requested to take off your jacket, coat, shoes and/or belt. remove laptop computers from your hand luggage as they are screened individually;

Baggage Allowances:

The allowances may vary with airlines and routings. Information on baggage allowance pertaining to your flights is available from us or a general guideline is often available on the airline’s website. Low-cost carriers and domestic USA airlines usually charge a fee per bag. Any baggage in excess of the airline’s allowance will be charged at the airline’s excess luggage rates. Children travelling at a reduced fare are also entitled to the full free baggage allowance. Infants do not have an allowance.

Cabin Baggage:

In addition to your free checked baggage allowance, you are entitled to one piece of hand luggage (for storage in an overhead locker or under your seat). The sum of the maximum dimensions may not exceed 115 cm (i.e. length plus width plus height). On average, the maximum weight for hand luggage is 6kg.

It is advisable to keep all valuable items in your hand luggage!