Getting to Ouagadougou

I just checked the Air France US website, and a roundtrip ticket to Ouagadougou (OUA is the airport code) is $4,356! This for a flight leaving SFO August 31 and returning to SFO Dec. 11. Do not buy this ticket! Roundtrip fares to Ouagadougou are normally about $2000. But because of the length of stay of the trip, airfares might be more expensive on different airlines at different times. In addition to Air France, the other major airline that serves Ouagadougou is Royal Air Maroc. They fly through Casablanca, departing from New York. Their RT flight from New York (JFK) to Ouagadougou was $1,796. We have flown RAM several times. They may be more prone to delays that AF. You might want to consult a travel agent.

If you are in Paris, or can get to Paris cheaply, you can buy Air France or Royal Air Maroc RT from Paris. The AF website for buying tickets from Paris/OUA is their French website, http://www.airfrance.fr

When you land in Ouagadougou, you will be met by a program representative. The student housing is only about 10 min from the airport. The handbook gives you the number of SARE Elisee, and if something happens (you are delayed by hours, etc.) someone will be kind enough to let you use their cellphone. Alternatively, there are phone kiosks just outside the baggage claims area where you can make a call. If worse comes to worse, a taxi to the residences (exact directions will be provided later) costs about $5 (you can pay in dollars and euros at the airport, usually, but ask the driver first.)