Togo - West Africa - page 998

GETTING AROUND
Air
Travelling by bus, bush taxi and even train are essential parts of the West African experience, but so vast are the distances
that a few flights around the region can widen your options considerably if your time is limited. The region has a reason-
able network of air routes, with the best connections generally between Francophone countries.
Air safety is a major concern in West Africa and a spate of accidents (especially in Nigeria) means that you should al-
ways be wary of the region's local airlines, particularly smaller operators. For more details on the air safety record of indi-
vidual airlines, visit www.airsafe.com/index.html .
Although the airports in some capital cities are large and cavernous, some smaller West African airports are little more
than single-shed terminals. Regardless of the size, don't be surprised if you spend half a day at check-in.
CHECKING IN
In some West African cities, check-in procedures are as much of an adventure as the flight itself. Conakry and La-
gos win our vote as the airports with the most disorganised and chaotic check-in procedures, but every traveller
probably has their own 'favourites'. The fun starts from the moment you enter the airport building. Underpaid se-
curity personnel, in an effort to subsidise their meagre incomes, may view the baggage check procedures as a
chance to elicit bribes from tourists. After searching your bag, they might ask what you have for them or, alternat-
ively, try to convince you that you've violated some regulation. Be compliant with requests to open your baggage,
be friendly and respectful, smile a lot, and you should soon be on your way. Also remember that, in some cases, of-
ficials may search your bag out of genuine curiosity, so put your dirty underwear on top and watch their interest
evaporate.
After getting past the initial baggage check, wade into the fray by the check-in counter. While some places have
lines, many don't - just a sweaty mass of people, all waving their tickets and talking loudly to a rather beleaguered-
looking check-in clerk.
The West African answer to this situation is the 'fixer' - enterprising locals who make their living by getting
people smoothly checked in and through other formalities such as customs and airport tax, all for fees ranging from
a dollar or two up to about US$10. Without the services of a fixer, the best strategy for avoiding the chaotic scene
is to arrive early at the airport.
Once you have your boarding pass in hand, there's usually a second luggage inspection as you pass from the
check-in terminal to the waiting area. Then it's just a matter of waiting, and often waiting far longer than you
planned.
There is one exception to the general chaos of checking in, at least if you're flying Air France. In most West
African capitals where Air France has late-night departures for Paris, the airline allows a morning check-in (either
at a central Air France office or, less conveniently, at the airport itself).
Airlines in West Africa
West African airlines come and go with disturbing regularity. Royal Air Maroc ( www.royalairmaroc.com ) has the most
extensive regional network, while Air Burkina ( www.air-burkina.com ) has a reasonably extensive West African service
as well as a domestic Ouagadougou-Bobo-Dioulasso service, while TACV ( www.flytacv.com ) connects Praia (Cape
Verde) to Dakar (Senegal) on the mainland, from where they also operate a small range of services to neighbouring coun-
tries. Some Nigerian airlines also fly between Nigeria and other West African countries.