Baggage Policy

The general free allowance on AIRLINK flights is 20Kg in Economy Class and 30Kg in Business Class per adult passenger. 

Children & Infants paying at least 50% of the adult fare are entitled to the same baggage allowance as adults. 

Infants not entitled to a seat shall only be permitted 10Kg of checked-in baggage in addition to one collapsible pram/buggy and one infant car seat. 

Exceptions exist:

• If passage is between Johannesburg and Nosy Be, Madagascar an allowance of 20kg only will be permitted per adult passenger. Note: Sporting Equipment can only form part of the free baggage allowance and no excess baggage will be permitted.
• If passage is on the Lodge-Link services i.e. between Nelspruit/Skukuza and the Sabi Sands lodges – Cessna Caravan operations, an allowance of 20Kg only will be permitted per adult passenger provided such is packed in a soft/pliable bag. Note: no excess baggage will be permitted however free baggage storage facilities are provided at Skukuza Airport and Nelspruit KMIA.
• If passage is between Johannesburg and Harare/Bulawayo/Lusaka/Ndola/Gaborone/Maseru where an allowance of 30Kg in Economy Class and 40Kg in Business class applies per adult passenger.
• If you are flying on a single-contract/interline no-stop ticket connecting with an SAA Regional or International flight where the baggage allowance of the most significant carrier will reflect on your ticket (If passage is on separate-contract tickets or constructed with sector fares, the baggage allowance for each ticket shall apply). See important need to know below on MSC - Most Significant Carrier.
• If you are a South African Airways Voyager card holder whereby an additional free baggage allowance shall apply in the following categories; Platinum = additional 30kg; Gold = additional 20kg and Silver = additional 10kg.
• If you are flying on a single-contract/interline ticket on an approved interline partner airline where the applicable airline's allowance will reflect on your ticket.

Important Need-to-Knows: 

MSC - Most Significant Carrier - Interline tickets - IATA Resolution 302 refers if you purchase a ticket which is wholly on the services of SA AIRLINK, SA AIRLINK's baggage policy will apply. 

If you purchase an interline no-stop ticket involving more than one carrier, the baggage policy of the MSC will apply per direction of travel i.e. the first international carrier per direction. 

The MSC policy will apply only if a through-check is possible - i.e. no night stop or stopover is permitted. However, the MSC policy is applied according to the ticket construction, so even if a passenger travelling on a "non-stop" ticket is required to clear luggage at first point of entry in South Africa, the luggage may be considered as "through-checked" in respect of the allowance.

Interline travel in conjunction with SAA domestic and some international flights may result in Piece Concept showing on a ticket whereby SAA allows one piece of luggage in economy class with maximum dimensions of 158cm and weighing a maximum of 23Kg for checked luggage before excess baggage charges shall apply.

Please see www.flysaa.com baggage policy for more information on Piece Concept. 

Hold space restrictions on AIRLINK aircraft due to the nature of the smaller airports which AIRLINK serves with medium-size aircraft, hold space may be restricted on full flights and/or in certain weather conditions. 

In such instances AIRLINK will do all possible to load all hold baggage but, in the interest of operational safety, may opt to carry some baggage on the next available flight to your destination. Extra baggage may also be carried at an additional charge. However, this may not guarantee that the baggage is carried on the same flight on which you travel, under the afore-mentioned circumstances. 

Size and Weight of Checked-In Baggage: 

The maximum dimensions of any one piece of baggage permitted where travel is wholly on the services of AIRLINK flights are: 

90cm x 72cm x 45cm (including handle, wheels and pockets) total dimensions 207cm 

Dimensions of Hold baggage:

Bulky items may also be carried up to maximum dimensions of 190cm x 75cm x 65cm (including handle, wheels and pockets) but may incur an excess baggage charge if the free baggage allowance is exceeded. 

The maximum permitted weight of any one piece of checked luggage is 32Kg. 

Any item exceeding the above dimensions may be booked as Cargo through the following channels:
+27 11 978 1166 AIRLINK CARGO or enquiries@airlinkcargo.co.za.

For more information regarding Cargo please visit www.airlinkcargo.co.za 

To ensure that bags fit the dimensions of the conveyor belts, ACSA has stipulated the following dimensions: 
The sizes do not include the items that form part of sporting equipment / fragile items.

Free Baggage Allowance - Checked Baggage - Weight Concept

Excess Baggage Charges AIRLINK flights

Domestic Flights: Twenty six (26) South African Rand per kilogram plus 15% VAT.

Regional Flights: 1.5% of the highest Airlink normal direct adult one way economy class fare per kilogram

More Need-to-Knows:

Differences in Baggage policies from all over the world affect the allowances shown on tickets which are interlined on AIRLINK flights and perceived anomalies may occur from time to time. AIRLINK staff will do all possible to honour the allowance shown on the passenger’s air-ticket.

Free Baggage Allowance - Checked Baggage - Piece Concept

Piece concept - allowing a number of bags per person in favour of a maximum weight of baggage per person.

This type of agreement affects baggage allowances on AIRLINK flights for tickets issued in conjunction with SAA and some other interline carriers on a single-contract/interline basis.

AIRLINK will do all possible to honour the carriage of the additional baggage afforded by this facility within the constraints of limited hold space.

These are areas most influenced by Piece Concept agreements in relation to AIRLINK flights:

1. Within South Africa and between some African destinations on SAA flights.
2. Between South Africa/Africa and USA/US Territories. (Government Reservation: 95-2-7)
3. Between South Africa and Brazil. (Government Reservation: 26-6-98) (i.e. applies from between any point in South Africa and any point in Brazil)
4. Between Africa and Sao Paulo - Brazil (SA only) (i.e. applies between any point in Africa served by SA carrier code and Sao Paulo only)
5. Between Africa and Buenos Aires - Argentina (SA only) (i.e. applies between any point in Africa served by SA carrier code and Buenos Aires only)

Checked Baggage Allowances: Interline Tickets with SAA - Piece Concept

Children & Infants - paying at least 50% of the adult fare are entitled to the same baggage allowance as adults.

Infants not entitled to a seat shall only be permitted to 1PC up to 23 kg & one collapsible pushchair and one car seat.

In the event that the passenger only travel on the services of SAA (SA 0001 – 0999 flights), the baggage allowance of an infant may be packed in the bag of one accompanied passenger. The weight of the bag of the accompanied passenger may not exceed 32 Kg. The infant will forfeit the free baggage allowance of one bag at 23 Kg in such an instance, however one collapsible pushchair and one car seat will be permitted.

If any destination is not mentioned above it will default to the allowance as mentioned below:

Business class - 2 pieces up to 32kg per piece (70lb) & maximum dimensions of 158cm (62inches) per piece

Economy class - 1 piece up to 23kg per piece (50lb) & maximum dimensions of 158cm (62inches)

Children & Infants - paying at least 50% of the adult fare are entitled to the same baggage allowance as adults.

Infants not entitled to a seat shall only be permitted to 1PC up to 23 kg & one collapsible pushchair and one car seat

Excess Baggage Charges - Piece Concept

Within South Africa

Between New York/Washington and Africa via Johannesburg

Between USA and Africa (EXCEPT Hawaii, Alaska)

 Between Africa & Hawaii, Alaska & Mexico

Between Canada & Africa

Between Africa & Brazil - via Johannesburg

Between Europe / UK & South Africa via Johannesburg

Between Europe / UK & Africa via Johannesburg

Between Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, China & South Africa via Johannesburg 

Between Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Mumbai & Africa via Johannesburg / Ex Africa to New Zealand, India

Between South Africa & Africa via Johannesburg

Within Africa - via Johannesburg

Group 1 - Windhoek / Harare / Victoria Falls / Maputo / Mauritius / Livingstone
Group 2 - Blantyre / Lilongwe / Lusaka / Luanda / Ndola / Kinshasa / Entebbe / Nairobi / Dar Es Salaam 
Group 3 - Dakar / Accra / Abidjan / Cotonou / Lagos

One excess charge will apply for:

• Each bag (piece) exceeding the free baggage allowance – i.e. 1or 2 checked bags
• Each bag exceeding the dimensions of 158cm, but not exceeding 203cm
• Each bag exceeding weight per piece up to 32Kg per piece

Two excess charges will apply for:

• Excess number plus oversized: for each bag exceeding 1 or 2 checked bags and exceeding the dimensions of 158cm per piece, but not exceeding 203cm per piece.

Three excess charges will apply for:

• Business class - any bag the sum of three dimensions exceeds 203cm and the weight may not exceed 32kg of any bag.
• Economy class - any bag the sum of three dimensions exceeds 203cm and/or the weight 23kg for the first 32kg or fraction thereof.
• Each additional 10kg or fraction thereof, 1 additional excess baggage charge shall be applied; such bag shall not be carried as accompanied baggage unless prior handling arrangements have been made with the carrier.

For more information on Piece Concept on SAA please go to www.flysaa.com