First TIME travel advice - baggage claim
Congratulations, you are now in Nigeria!
Try not to be too depressed at the grimy baggage claim area. Expect to see people three deep at the carousel with their shins pressed up against the edge. Be prepared to watch your bags go around a few times before you will finally be able to elbow your way in to get them.
If you are flying directly into Port Harcourt, at this point you will probably also have your first encounter with infamous Nigerian Dash System. The uninitiated Oyibo would call a dash a bribe but we prefer the term ’Facilitating Fees’. So here you are, faced with the baggage handlers mafia. These charming lads will offer you a cart and then help you to fill it and push it. You will be expected to ‘Dash’ them once you are outside.
The guys who load the conveyer belt may also look for a fee too. This would be for locating your bags and putting them on the conveyor belt. No! We are not joking. We suggest you use the long flight to practice your scoffing, and give it your haughty best right here.
Keep a sharp eye peeled for your bags; pilferage is no worse here than in any major airport, but that’s not saying much. This is also a good time to pull out the baggage receipts that they gave you when you checked in your luggage back home. You are more than likely going to be asked to produce them any time from now.
Once you have everything, your next challenge is to get through customs. This can be a bit tricky. Remember that bit in the ‘Happy Landings’ section? You may want to try that crossing yourself thing again.
