Other Middle East and Africa Frequent Flyer Programs - Lhr - cpt saa ptv

Moving down to CPT w/ family beginning of July. Want to fly with SAA as I am BD Silver but I noticed that most of the direct flights SAA operates is on A340-200 with no PTV. I dont want to be stuck on plane for 12 1/2 hours with my little boy w/o PTV.

Does anyone knows on which days of the week SAA is using the A340-600 (with PTV) on the LHR -CPT route or do I have to fly via JNB to avoid the A340-200?

thanks
Maart80

There is no specific day of the week that SA221 is operated with a 346. At the moment, it seems to be a 346 on 2, 4, 6, 7, 22, 24 and 31 July.
I get this from the *A downloadable timetable, which I find pretty accurate, have never found it to be wrong in fact. But of course this is no guarantee: equipment may always be changed. Even on the JNB route you can find the 342, so dont think a 346 (or 343) is guranteed there. But the probability is higher.

OT: good to get another Flyertalker in CPT, there are not many of us here (only 3 that I know off). PM me if you need any help.

The flight is overnight - so a laptop on board should see you right for viewing until bedtime.

Personally I find the A340-600 seats too hard, I don't know if they are more comfy on the 200s?

I flew the 342 LHR-CPT-LHR in May and found it much more uncomfortable in Y than the 346. Maybe it was just the PTV thing but I felt the pitch was less than the 346 but a generous recline so if your not in a bulkhead its difficult to use a laptop if the seat in front of you reclines.

On both flights they only showed one movie and didn't even repeat it.

Next time I will do JNB to try avoid the 342 or give LH a try through FRA or MUC....

I flew the 342 LHR-CPT-LHR in May and found it much more uncomfortable in Y than the 346. Maybe it was just the PTV thing but I felt the pitch was less than the 346 but a generous recline so if your not in a bulkhead its difficult to use a laptop if the seat in front of you reclines.

On both flights they only showed one movie and didn't even repeat it.

Next time I will do JNB to try avoid the 342 or give LH a try through FRA or MUC....

The 342 has 31-32" pitch in Y, the 346 and 343 have 33-34", your impression was based on fact! The 342's are leased aircraft and SA seem reluctant to equip them to the same level as their own 346's and 343's. The only concession was that they installed the flat beds a few years ago ^. As I am not fussed about IFE on an overnight flight, I actually like the 342 with only 24 C seats.

As mentioned in my post #2 above, SA use a 346 every now and then on the CPT route so not all is lost. LH Y is not any better from a pitch point of view, although the IFE should be better.