Kenya Airways v COMAIR v Ethiopian Airlines

If you have any experiences traveling with these airlines or have reviews from friends, please let me know! I have seen reviews online and it's a mixed bag. Among the three, Kenya Airways seems to have the better reviews.

I am finalizing my bucket list trip to the African continent this summer and because of connection issues, South African Airways may not work. I need to get from Nairobi to Cape Town as early on one particular day as I can. South African Airways has a great connecting flight through JNB and it seems to the best among the four airlines but it cuts close in terms of my arrival in Cape Town and I don't want to sweat running behind for my Emirates flight back home!

 

I would check out flyertalk.com Lots of great info on airlines there. Generally, I would treat most airlines equal if schedule is big issue. When schedule is an issue, it is also important to see what "backup" flights you have. For what it is worth, we did Comair from Victoria Falls to JNB last year on a very old 737, but still an above average job.

 

Just don't take this airline

 

Yeah, I did seatguru and yelp and travel advisor but haven't yet checked out the reviews on traveltalk. Yeah, I agree re: scheduling. I will be in flying heaven when I board my Emirates flight to Dubai and then NYC but I will be a rougher flight before those two. Scheduling though in this case is paramount.

Thanks for the advice.

 

Well, they did tell all those folks on standby that they'd promise to get them all on the next flight!

RICHARD

 

ROTFLMAO.

 

[I work in global health so all my colleagues not only travel around the world, many are from foreign countries....] My co-worker is from Nairobi and most of his current work is in Tanzania or other East African countries, but he's had to get to South Africa many times....[not his favorite country, for various reasons].

He says NOT COMAIR. His preference would be South African Air (actually, his preference would have been JNB from the US, but since that doesn't seem to be on the table....) He's also had Kenya air to JNB then BA from JNB-CPT. He hasn't flown Ethiopian that route because you fly to Addis to head south again, which seems an annoying route.

 

I would be scared shitless to get on any of those airlines or the Russian domestic airlines because they do not have the talented mechanics, oversight, equipment or spare parts to do proper preventive maintenance. It's literally a wing and a prayer.

 

When I went there for about 3 months, I flew from Dulles to Heathrow on British Airways and then flew in to Entebbe, Uganda. I had transport though to Karagwe, Tanzania where I was working. It was a great airline and no issues. On the way home though I had taken an overnight ferry over Lake Victoria and spent a week in Kenya at the Serengeti National Park. Flew from DAR to London and back to Dulles. Does British Airways cover the places you need to go as they actually had better rates than some of the smaller airlines.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice though Breeze yours made me a little freaked (and made me LOL) at the same time.

There were too many bad reviews about COMAIR and I wanted to do Kenyan Airways (first leg is actually on Namibia Airways) at it had the best set of flights with connections. But, the websites were challenged and literally not letting me book a flight. I gave up after an hour and booked a flight on Ethiopian Airways. The booking and everything was easy and though it does connect through Addis Ababa, I was able to book a flight that leaves at 5 am (rather than 1 am on Kenyan/Namibia) and arrive in Cape Town by 1:30 pm. My Emirates flight back home (connecting through Dubai, where I will see the sights during a 19 hour layover), departs Cape Town at 8 pm. The South African Airways flight wouldn't arrive until 4 and if the flight was running late at all I would sweat making my Emirates flight, which I booked a while ago.

I paid for my safari yesterday and all of my main flights are booked. I am so excited for what I hope will be a fantastic experience.

 

Where is your Safari? I loved mine. We actually had a monkey come through the sunroof on the jeep and steal one of our sandwiches the resort had packed for us to eat. I stayed at the Ngorongora Crater ( Im sure I spelled that wrong) a night and the dinner was absolutely fabulous but every resort we stayed at on Safari was top top. The Tanzanian Railway ( ferry) was an experience. We had a 1st class cabin....I'd hate to see what economy was. No bathrooms. Lol You'll see how few rhinos are left. I think we saw one the entire Safari. It's such a beautiful continent. I got some beautiful photos and met so many people. Plan on going back with friends next year as I absolutely loved it. Have an amazing journey!

 

Hoofy, what beautiful photos of 2 of the big 5! Thanks for sharing. Love especially that Lion photo.

I'll be in Cape Town for a few days on my own and then flying to Kenya to start a two-week safari, which will be in Kenya and Tanzania. We'll be visiting Amboseli, Lewa Safari Camp, The Maasai Mara, The Serengeti, and then the Ngorongoro Crater.

 

I saw the Masai tribes as well but they don't like their photos taken because they think it captures their soul. So we were told not to do it as it's offensive. The crater is amazing. There are tons of elephants as I guess that's where they go to die when they are really old. I've got 100's of photos. Great Hippo, Elephant, Monkey, Baboons, water buffalo, crocodiles, rhino and actually got to watch a lioness stall a Thompson gazelle and chase and catch it. I'm excited for you. You are going on an unforgettable trip! I don't know why more people don't go there. If you have any questions or advice on anything feel free to ask me. If I know I'll be happy to help. Tanzania and Kenya are my favorite places I visited and you can also buy Tanzanites loose that are so much nicer than what we find in jewelry stores really cheap. I bought some and then had them put in necklaces I created myself here. While in most places on Safari the restrooms are basically Huts with a hole dug in the ground. Bring toilet paper in your backpack. Lol Very few places ( at least when I was there) had plumbing if you aren't at your resort.

 

Wow. Those are great photos. Thanks for all of the tips and for the offer of additional advice. I will definitely take you up on it!

 

I did a safari in the mid-80s in Zimbabwe, and in Tanzania in 2011 (not nearly long enough - just tagged a couple days on to the end of a work trip, but did make it to Ngorogoro Crater and Lake Manyara.) Agree it's amazing and you will have a fabulous time! (I didn't have to fly anywhere ;-) I was working in Moshi and KLM flies there, so...)

 

Sweet lion pic, Hoofy!

It reminds me of when I would stop in to see the lions at MGM Grand.

Now it's just the cougars that are there...

RICHARD

 

Cool HoyaHeel and thanks for the good wishes. I have a book about African Safaris, including those in South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda and Botswana. It would take many trips or many months to see them all but my sense is the combo I have in Kenya and Tanzania captures among the best in the continent that can appropriately be seen in about 2 weeks. I still can't believe I am going. I feel truly blessed to be able to do so.

The trip is a bit more than four months away but if feels like tomorrow given what I need to do personally (shots, learning more about the countries I'll be visiting, becoming a better photographer, getting in my best shape possible, setting up a social media account (don't have one) so my parents and other family members can experience my adventures online, etc.) and professionally (I've never taken a trip this long while I was IN a job as opposed to being in between jobs so lots of prep work to do).

I'll be turning 53 while on safari. According to the schedule, I'll be in the Laikipia Plateau and specifically in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy on my birthday. The morning after my birthday is when we will be flying in one of those small safari planes over the Great Rift Valley, which is supposed to be exponentially bigger than the Grand Canyon, and then landing in the Maasai Mara. Unlike many VMBers (I love reading that current retirement thread), I will be working many more years out of necessity though I am blessed that I enjoy my work. But with the deaths of people I know in their 60s and even 50s, I'm embracing the opportunity this summer for what I hope will be a trip of a lifetime and the beginning of more adventures.

The trip is not inexpensive but when I think about what I spend in Vegas in any given year (most of my Vegas expenses are comped but in terms of bankroll spend, win/loss statements are eye openers LOL), the trip is definitely less expensive. I am always going to be a Vegas lover (3 trips this year are planned and I will be there in less than 3 weeks!) but I made a decision this year to switch out one major Vegas trip a year (last year I had 4 trips -- 3 long/a week and 1 short/a weekend) to do a major international trip or one here at home. I've driven most of the country but Alaska is on my domestic bucket trip list. Next year I have an opportunity to go to Israel for an educational trip in which most of the costs will be covered so that's going to be my major trip next year.

I am lousy at trip reports so I've never tried to do one in real time but I'll definitely post some pictures and share some reflections upon my return

 

Flowers,

Spirit isn't one of your airline choices so you're guaranteed to have a great time!

I've only been to one continent so far.
Like I reply to the time-share hawks in Vegas who ask "Where ya from?" I answer, "North America."

Have a great birthday trip!!!

RICHARD

 

LOL re Spirit and the time-share hawks.

Thanks for the good wishes!

 

You're going to have so much fun!!! I love to travel so much