Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - SAA biz class

Can anyone tell me how Business class is from JFK-JNB? Thanks!

See my post here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum139/HTML/000030.html

But if you can get into the SAA First lounge at JNB order dinner and don't eat on the plane!

Thanks LondonElite and it sure doesn't sound like it's a Biz class worth the 120,000 miles! Do you know the aircraft usually used for ATL-JNB and JNB-JFK? SAA has told me they will be switching to Airbus at some point but have no idea when and our trip is in August. I'm taking children so really hope the entertainment system is available.

The first three A340-600s will fly between JNB and FRA/HKG, from some time in the first quarter of next year.

The A340s will have a two class configuration (i.e. no first class). Pitch in C will be 65", but no lie-flat seats.

A new FAA directive means that SAA flights from ATL to CPT and JNB will have to stop at SAL, adding an extra 90 minutes to the flight.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200212100033.html

johan

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Jac747:

Thanks LondonElite and it sure doesn't sound like it's a Biz class worth the 120,000 miles! Do you know the aircraft usually used for ATL-JNB and JNB-JFK? SAA has told me they will be switching to Airbus at some point but have no idea when and our trip is in August. I'm taking children so really hope the entertainment system is available.</font>

Sorry, won't be able to help you there. Best bet is probably to keep asking SAA if they will deploy A346 on the route, in which case you will get a better C class product.

Good luck!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by johan rebel:
The first three A340-600s will fly between JNB and FRA/HKG, from some time in the first quarter of next year.</font>

does anyone already have more info on when these A346 will enter service with SA? (i am tired of the B743 serving FRA...)
thanks for any info.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mag:
does anyone already have more info on when these A346 will enter service with SA? </font>

http://www.flysaa.com/about_saa/media_corner/news_body2.jhtml

"30 October, 2002, JOHANNESBURG: The arrival of the first Airbus aircraft aimed at launching South African Airways (SAA)'s fleet renewal programme has been delayed by three to four weeks.
The planes were scheduled to be delivered in December, but will now arrive in the last week of January 2003 because of delays in the production process at the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France. Such delays are not unusual.
When the two Airbus A340-600, the first of 41 new planes SAA has ordered for delivery over the next 10 years, are delivered in January next year and the third in February, they will all be used on the Hong Kong and Frankfurt routes.
SAA announced in March this year that it will be modernising its entire fleet with Airbus aircraft, a process that will be completed by 2012.
SAA's 41 new fleet will comprise of the following:
9 x A340-600, ultra-long-haul routes
6 x A340-300E, long-haul and peak domestic services
11 x A319, domestic and regional routes
15 x A320, domestic and regional routes"

Also note that the A340s will be operating only five of the seven weekly flights to FRA. With the introduction of the A340, F class will no longer be offered between JNB and FRA. This apparently also goes for the remaining two weekly flights, even though the 747s have a three-class layout. Knowledgeable (or lucky) C class pax might therefore be able to secure F class seats on these flights, albeit with C class service.

johan

thanks for this detailed info, johan, i will fly fra - jnb - cpt next week, so i can "enjoy" the 747-300 c class service again... bad luck.

i was flying fra- jnb - fra last week in c class in the new A340-600.
i have to say that this is a huge improvement compared to the B743.
although the seats are not "flat bed" they offer all the comfort you need and expect from a c class seat. i am pretty tall (1,91m) and i could fully stretch without touching the seat in front of me.
the service was nice, friendly and efficient. they did not switch on the cabin lights for b'fast in order to give the pax more time for sleeping if they wished - nice touch.
the purser told me that the galley is rather small to work in for the full load of c class pax. obviously this layout was done for a three class configuration.

[This message has been edited by mag (edited 05-20-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Jac747:
Can anyone tell me how Business class is from JFK-JNB? Thanks!</font>

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.
SAA Business sucks!

Their First is comfy but the service was appaling going down, good coming back.

Their coach on some planes have generous seat pitch in the back, but I am hearing about bad pitch on some of the planes, not sure which ones, guessing the newly configured ones.

While everyone is excited about the wonderful new Airbuses, I prefer Boeing.

I have flown the Airbus A340, as one example. They are noisy, too "computerized", and break down more often. They are new, but wait til they are around for a while. They take forever to ascend. Plus, let's support Boeing. Keep our boys in Everett (vs. Toulouse) employed.

Also, sad to hear on the doing away with the First section on the new planes.

I loved the SAA First seat, just that bad service and terrible food wrecked it.

Business Class is not worth the miles. It is a cheap service. Go First or coach.


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PA747-May it rest in Peace