Luggage on Charter Flights to Safari Camps
 

Do you know if its possible to bring a travel backpack on those charter flights (assuming it fits within the weight limit)? I heard you have to bring softsided bags (like a duffel bag). Thanks.

Yes, you can .... correct, soft bags.

Charter flights usually refers to "private" flights vs "scheduled" flights. Both are still small planes. Yes, soft-sided is best.

Depending on country, weight limits are different. Many in Southern Africa have more limited restrictions than in East Africa.

You don't mention which country where you'll be flying?

Regular backpacks can usually be taken on board as your carryon, but that's "small" - not those large travel backpacks, which would have to fit under the plane in the small luggage area.

Fluke,

If i recall correctly, you are travelling to Botswana? They don't really weigh baggage for those charter flights .... or atleast i haven't seen this.

Travelling on Moremi Air to Kwara and from Kwara to Lagoon and from there to Kasane.

I am inquiring about those travel backpacks that you can put about a weeks light clothing in that are softsided but not "day" backpacks. To give you an idea, if I were to bring this on a regular flight, I would have to check the bag in underneath the plane as the size of the bag wont fit in the overhead compartment. Thanks.

What are the dimensions of your backpack? I use the Rick Steves' "back door" bag that's about the size of a rollaboard case, but is soft-sided. The luggage pod doors are fairly small, only about 10 inches or so high.

... and the travel backpack won't fit in the cabin on the flights within Botswana. Under the plane they'll go, so probably better with a soft-sided duffle and no wheels.

Square duffels are sometimes too tall to fit through the luggage pod door. That's why I was asking for the dimensions of Fluke's case. I looked up one of my old posts about the size of the luggage pod opening on the Cessnas they use in Botswana: 9.5" by 27". If you can squeeze your case through that opening, Fluke, that should work. You don't need a lot of clothes along, as they do laundry at all the camps.

Fluke,
You will still be okay ......

Hari

Fluke or anyone else,

Do not check in your luggage in Maun at Air Botswana counter for your international connecting flight via JNB. Clear bags at JNB and then re-check in. I know people who lost their bags and got hold of them only a week later.

i will check the dimensions, but as long as it can be stored underneath the plane, that is fine, i know there is no way it will fit in the overhead compartment. do you know if its really expensive to pay overweight charges? do they even let you bring overweight luggage on these small planes? thanks (I really prefer not leaving the luggage in Jberg airport for theft reasons as I really cant lock this type of bag)

There is no such thing as an overhead compartment in the Cessnas. Here's a link to Moremi Air's website. No doubt you'll be flying in one of the Cessnas (usually the 206.)
http://www.moremiair.com/ourcraft2.asp

In the photo, you can see the luggage pod underneath the aircraft, but the door is on the other side.