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#949281 by sungod
16 Mar 2019, 20:34
we've got a connecting flight via NBO coming up (for LHR-NBO-EBB, on BA and KQ), trying to figure out if we'll need to exit immigration for the terminal change and therefore need transit visas

outbound arrive in T1E and depart T1A
return arrive in T1A and depart T1B

the NBO/BA/KQ websites don't give enough info to decide if visas are needed

has anyone experience of connections via these terminals?
#949313 by iforres1
18 Mar 2019, 11:50
Hi Sungod,

It just so happens V-Flyer has its very own resident correspondent based in JKIA :-D
To answer your question no you should not, T1e is basically an arrival terminal, you will need to follow the transfer signs which will take you T1a. It is about a 10 min walk (going in a big semi circle). You will then go through the transfer screening at T1a and into T1a terminal. There is a KQ service desk just through the other side of the duty free shop. I presume you will have quite a lay over. Will you have your onward boarding pass beforehand or you will collect in NBO (both ways)?
If I get any other info I will PM you or if you need to PM myself and I will try to assist.

Cheers
Iain
#949328 by iforres1
18 Mar 2019, 15:27
Just checked with the girls at KQ, they say it should be straight forward both ways. There is a KQ service desk in T1a as I mentioned and there is also one in T1b (near gate 6), you will pass this as you follow the transfer route from arrivals.
Good luck!

Iain
#949338 by sungod
18 Mar 2019, 20:15
Iain,

that's great, thank you for this!

we're booked LHR-NBO-EBB on a single PNR from BA - i took advantage of the current BA sale to surprise my OH, she grew up there, until Idi Amin, then some brave people helped her family escape, she's always dreamed of seeing her childhood home again :)

we'll have about 3 hours at NBO, arriving there at 2100-something both ways, we'll have lounge access, though judging by some online reports we may be lucky to get seats

one other thing, if we get duty free at LHR in security sealed bags, do you know if we'll get it through the NBO security check ok?
#949489 by iforres1
25 Mar 2019, 09:23
As far as I know if the duty free is in the sealed bags it should be ok for transit. 21.00 is a busy time but there are a couple of KQ lounges in T1a that you can use so fingers crossed.
let me know how it all goes.
#953733 by sungod
14 Jan 2020, 18:19
quick update as we just got back today, might help others with a transfer there...

our online Uganda visa applications were approved within a week, this was over christmas/new year so perhaps it's normally faster

checking in at LHR, the BA agent was only going to check baggage to NBO as that's what the system said, but I explained we needed them checked through all the way to EBB, and after a couple of calls the check-in agent was able to do it

this seemed to be a BA IT issue not the agent's fault, we were given boarding passes for both BA and KQ legs

at duty free, the cashier had to check too, but a colleague said it's ok to seal bottles in the tamper proof bag, also warned us of the new Kenyan ban on plastic bags, but I'd already heard about it and we had a tote with us to take the bottles

the transit at NBO was easy, though a long walk through the terminal with poor signage and no one obvious to ask, we used the 'keep walking and hope for the best' approach

the flight was delayed but we sat in the lounge where we could see the gate area downstairs, then legged it when we saw people getting up

on board a health check form was handed out, poor multi-generation photocopies with nowhere clear to write for some field, but these were collected without checking on entry into the EBB terminal, then onto the visa desk and baggage collection, all went quickly and smoothly

return wasn't so smooth...

at EBB bags were checked through without any issue, and we headed to the lounge which was really quite pleasant, good range of food and snacks, chilled drinks and a bar, and with good views

at checkin we'd been told the KQ flight was delayed 50 mins, but the indicator boards then changed to say it would be on time and we were called to 'board' at normal time, as that meant passing through gate security screening we ended up stuck in the gate area, for over 90 minutes, annoying!

they also aded pax from another flight into the same holding pen so it became overcrowded, far more people than seats and no status updates, the eventual delay was way longer than the initial one that had 'vanished'

fortunately they boarded us before the other flight, even though that was now due

on arrival at NBO it got worse, we had only an hour to make our flight, others even less, and we were all told to ignore the transfer signage and go back the other way, then at the other end told by a second person to go back, whereupon the first insisted we go back again - there were 15-20 of us getting this runaround and tempers were fraying

at last it was reluctantly explained that we had to go to a table in-between and fill out a health check form, then leave it with someone at another table - who simply put them in a pile, i noticed they were even filling in some missed boxes themselves!

we walked fast until we hit a very slow security x-ray point, shoes/belts/etc. all off, got through and walked again to the gate...

which then had two more x-ray checks in series! shoes/belts/etc. again, but at least we could carry our stacks of trays from the outlet of the first one and plonk them on the belt for the second, finally reaching the end of the queue to board, far warmer and rather annoyed!

the BA flight actually pushed back a few minutes ahead of schedule

at LHR our bags appeared though, so in spite of the short connection time the NBO baggage handling seemed to have been far slicker than the passenger handling that night

i assume the heath forms are ebola-threat related, but it's hard to see any value given the way they were handled

the double screening at the gate was unexpected, not sure if it's normal or added due to the increased threat from al-Shabaab
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