Travel Information
Togo
Travel info for Lome, Togo -
Flying in and out of West Africa can be a bit of an adventure!!
Booking your flight
All crew should fly in and out of the International Airport in Lome, Togo (Airport code: LFW) which is very close to where the Africa Mercy will be docked.
Important - in order for Mercy Ships to pick you up at the airport, please only book flights that arrive between the hours of 8 AM and 9:30 PM.
SN Brussels - Mercy Ships has been able to secure a partnership with Brussels Airlines (SN Brussels) which will give our staff and crew substantial discounts on flights from Europe to Africa and select flights from the US to Europe. This includes reduced rates on flights from Europe and the US to Africa and includes special conditions for bookings, baggage and change of flights. We received the best discounts (up to 15% off published fares) for flights from Europe to Africa as well as a smaller discount from flights from the US to Europe. SN Brussels has also agreed to not charge a ticketing fee nor a fuel surcharge for the tickets issued for Mercy Ships but it is very important that you book your tickets using the procedures outlined below.
Change of reservation
Reservations may be changed without any charge subject to the availability of the respective booking class.
Baggage
Brussels Airlines offers Mercy Ships the possibility to check in two additional pieces of luggage (maximum 32 kg each - 9 kg extra per piece) between Europe and Africa.
Blackouts
Groups of more than nine are not permitted during "black-out" periods:
- From Europe to Africa : between 24 June and 11 July
- From Africa to Europe : between 13 August and 8 September
- American Airlines (AA) Business Extra number: 754895
- British Airways (BA) corporate account number: 06189OUS
- Delta, Air France and KLM SkyBonus account number: US0011878
Please note -- once your service with Mercy Ships is finished, any visa agreements that enabled you to enter the country under the Mercy Ships banner are also terminated. That means that legally once you have concluded your commitment with Mercy Ships you must leave the country, unless you have your own visa that allows you to stay. If you plan to stay in Togo after your service with Mercy Ships, you will need to obtain a landing visa in your own country BEFORE joining Mercy Ships.
Arrival
If you have a Mercy Ships shirt, please wear it when you travel so that you can be spotted easily. (Mercy Ships shirts can be purchased via our website – http://store.mercyships.org/) It will help identify you quickly to our escorts.
If at any time you are concerned or delayed, please call the ship for confirmation or further instructions. Please be sure to carry the ship's phone number in case you need to reach us with schedule changes or problems. Our US satellite number is (+1) 954 538 6110. Our local number is +228 999 11 997. Both are answered 24 hours/day.
We suggest you bring one change of clothes and necessary medications in your carry-on bag in case your luggage is lost or delayed.
Security
The security of Mercy Ships crew is taken very seriously. In each country Mercy Ships serves, the security is continuously monitored through contacts with major embassies, government security forces and ground observers.
On arrival to the Africa Mercy, the ship's crew is provided a general security briefing and all crew will be informed of any unusual security precautions that need to be taken.
Booking procedure from Europe / Russia / Israel
Booking should be made by telephone through the Brussels Airlines call centre, which is open on weekdays between 9 AM and 7 PM and on Saturdays between 9 AM and 5 PM.
Payment is done by credit card (make sure to have your credit card at hand when making the phone call). After payment an electronic ticket will be issued, of which you will receive a receipt by e-mail. On this receipt, you can find all information to check in (either online or at the airport).
Dial the dedicated number +32 2 723 23 16 (cost of an international phone call) and make selection via the IVR as follows:
- After the language choice, select 2 for "business partners"
- Upon hearing next menu, select 2 again for "holders of commercial agreements"
- Finally, select 2 again for "congress code"
- Introduce your access code: 301 117
- Book your ticket
Please note: If you follow the above procedres and have any troubles or the call centre does not recognize the discount, please ask for a supervisor, who should be able to provide further assistance and apply the agreed discount.
Booking procedure from the US
To receive the discount, all travel from the US must be made through RAPTIM Travel Agency. Please mention you are with Mercy Ships when you contact them.
Raptim Travel (http://www.raptimusa.com)
Phone: 1-800-750-1224
E-Mail: mercyships@raptimusa.com
Direct numbers/contacts:
Jerry Don: 1-972-819-7517 jkuhn@raptimusa.com
Beth Banfill: 1-716-405-0105 or 1-800-777-9232 x154 bbanfill@raptimusa.com
Jason Bontrager: 1-972-819-5008 jbontrager@raptimusa.com
Booking procedure from Asia or the Pacific Region
For those traveling from Asia or the Pacific region, please use your local travel agent for flights to Europe, then contact Brussels Airlines (see info above) to secure a discounted ticket from Europe to Africa.
Visas
Mercy Ships has received a signed visa waiver from the Togo government, allowing our crew to arrive in Togo without a visa. Soon after we receive your travel details (via the Pre-Arrival Form), we will send you your Immigration paperwork. You will need to carry these with you to show to the ticket agent at the airport upon departure (along with your passport) and to Togo immigration upon your arrival.
When you arrive in the airport terminal after disembarking the airplane, you will see an airport employee holding a sign with the names of Mercy Ships crew members arriving on that flight. Tell him/her you are with Mercy Ships, and you will be taken to the VIP room where a Mercy Ships representative will be awaiting you. You will then complete the immigration document provided by the VIP Room staff member. Upon completion, the staff member will collect these forms, along with your passports and yellow fever (WHO) cards to be processed by Customs and Immigrations. When these items are returned to you, you will be directed to the VIP exit where your luggage will be waiting. At this time, you must make sure ALL your luggage is present. The luggage handlers will then take all baggage to the VIP parking where the Mercy Ships vehicles will be waiting to drive you to the Africa Mercy.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
