Topic: AR19 Primary TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS

[Chateau d If]

In fact as long as they get to Nairobi airport later than 8.25am on the 28th they can't find a better flight than the direct on the 29th.

I'd have to move that up to 9:10 am, but I see your point:  a team gains no advantage in getting released between 8 am on the 28th to 4 am on the 29th.  So there's a 20-hour range of optional fuzz to add to the Pit Stop

NBO to JNB Johannesburg    KQ 762         Kenya Airways    9:10 AM arrives 12:20 PM - Tue 28-Jun-2011
JNB to BLZ Blantyre    QM 204         Air Malawi    7:00 PM    arrives 9:10 PM - Tue 28-Jun-2011
BLZ to LLW Lilongwe    QM 201         Air Malawi    8:00 AM    arrives 8:35 AM - Wed 29-Jun-2011

[georgiapeach]

Let's check trains too....

Or if we want to be cruel...buses.

[georgiapeach]

Adding: Not looking good!

http://goafrica.about.com/od/tanzania/a/tanzaniatips_2.htm

[Leafsfan]

Adding: Not looking good!

http://goafrica.about.com/od/tanzania/a/tanzaniatips_2.htm

27 hours! yikes

[Zack.]

Adding: Not looking good!

http://goafrica.about.com/od/tanzania/a/tanzaniatips_2.htm

27 hours! yikes

That's 27 hours from Dar es Salaam. It's another 5 from Nairobi to DES.

Though if Phil wants to get ahead of the teams to film standups...

[zacz]

The train would be evil... Saying that I would love to see it, I have always liked the long train trips and they don't do them as often as they used to in early TAR - Think without them we never would have had Flo's tantrum.

I do think it is unlikely though as the safety of the teams has to be taken into account.

[theschnauzers]

We have had some long train rides in recent seasons; it is just that the editors haven't focused on those at all. (train in China last season as an example.

The reason for the relative lack of long distance trains is usually a question of the amount of time needed to use them. Last season was probably so that Phil could get ahead of the teams by enough times to get the stand ups done, as the leg that came after the two China legs was in India.

[apskip]

We have had some long train rides in recent seasons; it is just that the editors haven't focused on those at all. (train in China last season as an example.

The reason for the relative lack of long distance trains is usually a question of the amount of time needed to use them. Last season was probably so that Phil could get ahead of the teams by enough times to get the stand ups done, as the leg that came after the two China legs was in India.

It's ironic, because I think the direction of travel might end up being the opposite direction, from Johannesburg to either Lilongwe or to Blantyre, the two largest cities in Malawi. There is no requirement I have heard of to go to Lilongwe to be in Malawi. There are several flights which fly to either LLW or BLZ from JNB:

Today 28 June QM202 JNB LLW 1630 1850  or  QM204 JNB BLZ 1900 2110  or SA170 1010 1220

Tomorrow 29 June QM202 JNB LLW 1225 1545  or  SA6732 JNB BLZ 0500 0720  or  SA172 JNB BLZ 1000 1250

[georgiapeach]

Every previous leg in Jo-burg since spoiling began, for any of the franchises, has been spotted I believe, which makes me think they did not go there (yet?).

The safari company is based in Lilongwe, that's why (along with the flights) we have assumed they are starting there, although of course they could start elsewhere I suppose?


 

LAND AND LAKE SAFARIS have been operating in Malawi since 1985. The office is conveniently situated in LILONGWE,  OLD TOWN 

[Prophet]

Teams arrived in Lilongwe Jun 30 around noon. That leg was probably completed by 7-9PM yesterday. With a 12hr pitstop really the only option for flying out on July 1 is back to J-burg on SA 171 arriving at 15.40. From there teams could fly to London or Frankfurt pretty easily.

If they delay the Pitstart to the 2nd teams could take KQ 731 to arrive in Nairobi at 15.10. But Nairobi does not have many options to Europe that afternoon and evening.

It should be interesting to see what transport options they take to get off the continent because I don't see tons of options.

[georgiapeach]

It's ironic, because I think the direction of travel might end up being the opposite direction, from Johannesburg to either Lilongwe or to Blantyre, the two largest cities in Malawi.

You had it right apskip!!

Confirmed 6/30 

JNB Johannesburg SA 170  South African Airways Dep 1000 arr sched 12:25 PM  arr 12:07 PM 

[georgiapeach]

apskip et al...

Can we relook at getting them to Joburg please?

Phuket..  onwards

[apskip]

Peach,
Your first request is more well-defined and easier to answer. Here are the flights from Lilongwe to Johannesburg for yesterday 30 June:

QM201 LLW JNB 0905 1125
SA171  LLW JNB 1340 1550
KQ724 LLW NBO 1315 1625 connecting to KQ764 NBO JNB 2040 2350

For today 1 July, here are the flights:
a Kenya Airways 0230 combination through NBO not arriving until 1705 which no team would want
QM201 LLW JNB 0905 1125
SA171 LLW JNB  1328 1542
KQ722 LLW LUN 1035 1145 connecting to KQ63 LUN JNB 1340 1545

Since you added a new request for flights to Nairobi while I was doing the above, here they are:

For today 1 July here are the only two options for LLW NBO:
KQ734 LLW NBO 0230 0540
KQ722 LLW NBO 1035 1625 (note- this flight stops in Lusaka first)

For tomorrow 2 July KQ731 LLW NBO 1200 1510

[apskip]

The flight possibilities for Phuket to Johannesburg are really much simpler than I expected. Kuala Lumpur drops out of the equation due to not flying nonstop several applicable days of the week. Connecting in Bangkok requires departure from HKT on 28 June Tuesday night's last flight HKT BKK BR3926 2230 2355 connecting with nonstop TG703 BKK JNB early Wednesday 29 June 0115+1 0730+1, but this does not work for early Thursday morning There is also a connection through Nairobi BKK NBO KQ887 0035+1 to KQ260 NBO JNB 0700+1 1005+1 doesn't work for that date because it is after the departure of SA170 at 1000 to Lilongwe. So, either of the possibilities from Bangkok require leaving almost a full day in the Johannesburg area open, where they might have been used for a South Africa leg (WRP, how about a safari aadventure?).

The better alternative is 29 June Tuesday night MI757 HKT SIN 2010 2255 or 3K538 2205 0050+1 connecting with nonstop SQ478 SIN JNB 0210+1 0700+1. That connects easily with SA170 on Thursday morning.

[Chateau d If]

Here's my stab at Phuket to Johannesburg:

• We assume they complete the Phuket leg at 1:00 pm on Saturday the 25th. 
  
• We assume that they are standing in JNB airport at 9:00 am on Thursday the 30th.
  

Naturally they will want to go to the mountains of Nepal after the Beaches of Phuket.  Right?  Make sense to me!   

Here is a quick way to get to Kathmandu, Nepal on Sunday the 26th: (takes 6 hours and 15 min)
TG 226 leaves HKT at 7:25 am and arrives BKK at 8:50 am
TG 319 leaves BKK at 10:15 am and arrives KTM at 12:25 pm

Teams spend the next 72 hours racing and resting and racing and waiting (one leg) and are standing at Kathmandu airport at 12:25 pm on Wednesday the 29th.

Here is a quick way to get to Johannesburg by 9:00 am on Thursday the 30th:  (takes 20 hours and 15 min)
TG 320 leaves KTM at 1:30 pm and arrives BKK at 6:15 pm
MH 781 leaves BKK at 7:40 pm and arrives KUL at 10:50 pm
MH 203 leaves KUL at 1:20 am and arrives JNB at 6:00 am on the 30th

You can substitute SIN for KUL in getting to JNB and still make this happen.

[georgiapeach]

We no longer need a Lilongwe to Joburg option since we know they just came from there.

We do need the Phuket to Joburg options, both with and without an intermediate stop in Nairobi (spec), or somewhere else, or even Katmandu! (total spec)

Looking ahead, we need to look at options leaving Lilongwe, since Joburg is now out of the equation, that pretty much leaves connecting via Nairobi. I would suggest looking at 7/3....

[theschnauzers]

Peach, there's nothing saying that there might be a Jo'Berg connection to use to get out of Africa altogether. It wouldn't be the first time teams have had to go back through a city they just left to get somewhere on another continent, so we'd have to see what windows and areas might open up as a result.
I seriously doubt they'll be headed to North Africa, or Greece, so it points to anywhere else in Europe or South America, on paper; but I'd be worried about the Chilean volcano acting up again. I do suspect that the teams will be feed producer supplied air tickets just to make sure they can get out of Africa without 24 hour delays.

[georgiapeach]

okay good point!

[apskip]

II second theschnauzers motion! I think Johannesburg is as good a way as any to get out of southern Africa. Nairobi is another one that makes sense. There are loads of flights from either one nonstop to major European cities.

[Prophet]

From Amsterdam teams could literally connect to anywhere in Europe, unless they are going to stay in Amsterdam.

[apskip]

How did teams get from Lilongwe to Nairobi to connect with KQ116 to Amsterdam there?

There are two decent possibilities direct and some really awful connections. Here are the direct flights LLW NBO:

KQ731 July 2 1200 1510
KQ732 July 2 LLW NBO 2355 0545+1

The latter is much more likely.

[georgiapeach]

My chart shows that 732 goes to Lusaka.... I was just struggling with this as well.

KQ 732 Flight Information Route:    From (LLW) Lilongwe, MW to (LUN) Lusaka, ZM 
 

How did teams get from Lilongwe to Nairobi to connect with KQ116 to Amsterdam there?

There are two decent possibilities direct and some really awful connections. Here are the direct flights LLW NBO:

KQ731 July 2 1200 1520
KQ732 July 2 LLW NBO 2355 0545+1

The latter is much more likely.

[apskip]

Peach,
Why does a flight that takes only 3 hours 10 minutes from Lilongwe nonstop to Nairobi take 5 hours 50 minutes direct? The answer is that KQ732 continues from Lusaka to Nairobi.

[DrRox]

My chart shows that 732 goes to Lusaka.... I was just struggling with this as well.

KQ 732 Flight Information Route:    From (LLW) Lilongwe, MW to (LUN) Lusaka, ZM 
 

How did teams get from Lilongwe to Nairobi to connect with KQ116 to Amsterdam there?

There are two decent possibilities direct and some really awful connections. Here are the direct flights LLW NBO:

KQ731 July 2 1200 1520
KQ732 July 2 LLW NBO 2355 0545+1

The latter is much more likely.

KQ 732 is certainly an "odd" flight. I checked a week after the July2/3 time frame and a week before.......and the flight does not appear. I suspect it is a WRP "charter" or maybe a "semi-charter" flight. The aircraft is an Embraer 190 which is equivilent to a Boeing 737 in capacity. After further research, it is just a regular weekend intinerary for Kenya Airlines.

I found for KQ 732.......
July 2, 2011
NBO to LLW   9:45 pm to 10:55 pm
LLW to LUN    11:55 pm (July 2) to 1:05 am (July3)

July 3, 2011
LUN to NBO    2:05 am to 5:45 am.....

It appears to be a circle route out of Nairobi.....I could see WRP negociating with an E African airline for a "special" flight after the mess in TAR11. Also they could move teams that way, without having to spend time waiting in airports to make connections back to Europe.

The 0545 arrival time will give them 2 hr 20 minutes to make the KQ116, 0810 flight to Amsterdam from Nairobi.

edited to add additional information....

[theschnauzers]

That would be consistent with my suggestion that teams would be given  tickets for their flight to get out of Africa.