is there meal service on CPT-JNB in J?
Sep 19, 2016, 1:24 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Washington DC
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is there meal service on CPT-JNB in J?
I'm from the US and I've flown this route before. Given the short duration of the flight, would one typically expect a meal in J for a flight departing CPT at 13:00? Any info wold be helpful. thanks!
Sep 20, 2016, 6:35 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: N/A
Programs: UA 1K, BA Gold, LH/SN/LX Senator
Posts: 449
Yes, there will be a meal service in J, and either meal or snacks in Y.
Sep 21, 2016, 12:15 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cape Town
Programs: BA Exec Gold , Qatar Priviledge Club Plat
Posts: 1,584
Fly the route twice a week , flights departing before 9am will receive a full breakfast service in J/Y. Flights leaving after 5pm will receive a full dinner service in J/Y, all flights in between those time slots will get a snack service.
Snack service:
Y: crisps/muffin and a drink
J: prepackaged mass produced cold snack which is served with fruit slices and a drink.
Don't have high expections !
*not my photo*
Snack service:
Y: crisps/muffin and a drink
J: prepackaged mass produced cold snack which is served with fruit slices and a drink.
Don't have high expections !
*not my photo*
Sep 21, 2016, 11:50 am
#6
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Wow, thank you all for such thoughtful replies. Thanks, ESPECIALLY, for the descrip and photo. very very helpful! I should add, too, that my expectations will be tempered but also ANYTHING in the way of food is an improvement over US Airlines. With VERY little exception (only on select routes) US carriers would NEVER serve anything in the way of "food" on a two hr flight, even in J. so the fact that there is a snack, even a prepackaged one, is a step up from what US carriers offer so while my expectations will be tempered, I'm slightly impressed. thanks everyone
Sep 27, 2016, 10:26 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2002
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Wow, thank you all for such thoughtful replies. Thanks, ESPECIALLY, for the descrip and photo. very very helpful! I should add, too, that my expectations will be tempered but also ANYTHING in the way of food is an improvement over US Airlines. With VERY little exception (only on select routes) US carriers would NEVER serve anything in the way of "food" on a two hr flight, even in J. so the fact that there is a snack, even a prepackaged one, is a step up from what US carriers offer so while my expectations will be tempered, I'm slightly impressed. thanks everyone
Nov 12, 2016, 11:50 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
Just thought I'd add a recent experience of the meal service on a JNB-CPT flight departing at 18:45 - so with full dinner service.
Jackets were proactively hung up. Newspapers were offered. There were no pre-departure drinks or hot towels. However, the cabin was extremely hot and just before push back the FA came round with a crate (literally) of chilled bottles of water. I suspect this was her own initiative and not standard. (This FA was exemplary I must say. So the service was almost certainly as good as it gets on SA.)
As soon as the flight got under way a drinks trolley was wheeled out. This included wine, beer and spirits - though, bizarrely, no gin because "our supplier has run out of gin".
How does the supplier of miniatures to an airline "run out" of something as basic as gin? At the same time as serving your drink you were asked if you wanted wine with your dinner and given a glass of whatever you ordered from a voice of 2 whites and 2 reds. (This was quite clever because food would arrive before the trolley had finished the round. But it left you in the rather awkward position of guarding two drinks and a mixer in rather turbulent conditions.)
Dinner consisted of a single tray holding a small salad, a main course (choice of lamb or chicken), a cube of cream cheese with some biscuits and a mystery mousse type of dessert. Warm bread rolls were also offered. Everything was edible and the lamb main was very good.
There were no hot towels after dinner either but on the tray was a sealed wet wipe. No further drinks were proactively offered and I didn't request any - but I assume they were available on request. There was no coffee/tea service either but presumably when your tray was collected you could just ask for it.
All in all a very satisfactory dinner service and a satisfying meal. (I still prefer BA/Comair in J for things like a choice of PDB, hot towels etc.)
As an aside: This was on an A319. The tray table folds down from the seat in front of you where it is folded with a hinge in the middle. On both my and my partner's tables the front part sloped downwards so much that your tray wanted to slide onto your lap. So you had to push your tray to the back part of the table to avoid a disaster. Most annoying.
Jackets were proactively hung up. Newspapers were offered. There were no pre-departure drinks or hot towels. However, the cabin was extremely hot and just before push back the FA came round with a crate (literally) of chilled bottles of water. I suspect this was her own initiative and not standard. (This FA was exemplary I must say. So the service was almost certainly as good as it gets on SA.)
As soon as the flight got under way a drinks trolley was wheeled out. This included wine, beer and spirits - though, bizarrely, no gin because "our supplier has run out of gin".
How does the supplier of miniatures to an airline "run out" of something as basic as gin? At the same time as serving your drink you were asked if you wanted wine with your dinner and given a glass of whatever you ordered from a voice of 2 whites and 2 reds. (This was quite clever because food would arrive before the trolley had finished the round. But it left you in the rather awkward position of guarding two drinks and a mixer in rather turbulent conditions.) Dinner consisted of a single tray holding a small salad, a main course (choice of lamb or chicken), a cube of cream cheese with some biscuits and a mystery mousse type of dessert. Warm bread rolls were also offered. Everything was edible and the lamb main was very good.
There were no hot towels after dinner either but on the tray was a sealed wet wipe. No further drinks were proactively offered and I didn't request any - but I assume they were available on request. There was no coffee/tea service either but presumably when your tray was collected you could just ask for it.
All in all a very satisfactory dinner service and a satisfying meal. (I still prefer BA/Comair in J for things like a choice of PDB, hot towels etc.)
As an aside: This was on an A319. The tray table folds down from the seat in front of you where it is folded with a hinge in the middle. On both my and my partner's tables the front part sloped downwards so much that your tray wanted to slide onto your lap. So you had to push your tray to the back part of the table to avoid a disaster. Most annoying.
Nov 13, 2016, 9:30 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cape Town
Programs: BA Exec Gold , Qatar Priviledge Club Plat
Posts: 1,584
Just thought I'd add a recent experience of the meal service on a JNB-CPT flight departing at 18:45 - so with full dinner service.
Jackets were proactively hung up. Newspapers were offered. There were no pre-departure drinks or hot towels. However, the cabin was extremely hot and just before push back the FA came round with a crate (literally) of chilled bottles of water. I suspect this was her own initiative and not standard. (This FA was exemplary I must say. So the service was almost certainly as good as it gets on SA.)
As soon as the flight got under way a drinks trolley was wheeled out. This included wine, beer and spirits - though, bizarrely, no gin because "our supplier has run out of gin". How does the supplier of miniatures to an airline "run out" of something as basic as gin? At the same time as serving your drink you were asked if you wanted wine with your dinner and given a glass of whatever you ordered from a voice of 2 whites and 2 reds. (This was quite clever because food would arrive before the trolley had finished the round. But it left you in the rather awkward position of guarding two drinks and a mixer in rather turbulent conditions.)
Dinner consisted of a single tray holding a small salad, a main course (choice of lamb or chicken), a cube of cream cheese with some biscuits and a mystery mousse type of dessert. Warm bread rolls were also offered. Everything was edible and the lamb main was very good.
There were no hot towels after dinner either but on the tray was a sealed wet wipe. No further drinks were proactively offered and I didn't request any - but I assume they were available on request. There was no coffee/tea service either but presumably when your tray was collected you could just ask for it.
All in all a very satisfactory dinner service and a satisfying meal. (I still prefer BA/Comair in J for things like a choice of PDB, hot towels etc.)
As an aside: This was on an A319. The tray table folds down from the seat in front of you where it is folded with a hinge in the middle. On both my and my partner's tables the front part sloped downwards so much that your tray wanted to slide onto your lap. So you had to push your tray to the back part of the table to avoid a disaster. Most annoying.
Jackets were proactively hung up. Newspapers were offered. There were no pre-departure drinks or hot towels. However, the cabin was extremely hot and just before push back the FA came round with a crate (literally) of chilled bottles of water. I suspect this was her own initiative and not standard. (This FA was exemplary I must say. So the service was almost certainly as good as it gets on SA.)
As soon as the flight got under way a drinks trolley was wheeled out. This included wine, beer and spirits - though, bizarrely, no gin because "our supplier has run out of gin".
How does the supplier of miniatures to an airline "run out" of something as basic as gin? At the same time as serving your drink you were asked if you wanted wine with your dinner and given a glass of whatever you ordered from a voice of 2 whites and 2 reds. (This was quite clever because food would arrive before the trolley had finished the round. But it left you in the rather awkward position of guarding two drinks and a mixer in rather turbulent conditions.) Dinner consisted of a single tray holding a small salad, a main course (choice of lamb or chicken), a cube of cream cheese with some biscuits and a mystery mousse type of dessert. Warm bread rolls were also offered. Everything was edible and the lamb main was very good.
There were no hot towels after dinner either but on the tray was a sealed wet wipe. No further drinks were proactively offered and I didn't request any - but I assume they were available on request. There was no coffee/tea service either but presumably when your tray was collected you could just ask for it.
All in all a very satisfactory dinner service and a satisfying meal. (I still prefer BA/Comair in J for things like a choice of PDB, hot towels etc.)
As an aside: This was on an A319. The tray table folds down from the seat in front of you where it is folded with a hinge in the middle. On both my and my partner's tables the front part sloped downwards so much that your tray wanted to slide onto your lap. So you had to push your tray to the back part of the table to avoid a disaster. Most annoying.
This really good to hear and promising for SAA. Im also glad to hear that you had a great crew, who had initiative!
Nov 14, 2016, 5:56 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: fwp blood diamond, dykwia uranium
Posts: 7,251
This is not correct regarding J
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/25567777-post2.html
Meals in J are before 9am and after 5pm. All other times you get a crappy snack.
UA has full meal in J for 2.5hr long flights during dinner time
And at least they communicate what you'll get (or not get) on their website
Oh and no liquor or wine on SA before 12pm
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/25567777-post2.html
Meals in J are before 9am and after 5pm. All other times you get a crappy snack.
Wow, thank you all for such thoughtful replies. Thanks, ESPECIALLY, for the descrip and photo. very very helpful! I should add, too, that my expectations will be tempered but also ANYTHING in the way of food is an improvement over US Airlines. With VERY little exception (only on select routes) US carriers would NEVER serve anything in the way of "food" on a two hr flight, even in J. so the fact that there is a snack, even a prepackaged one, is a step up from what US carriers offer so while my expectations will be tempered, I'm slightly impressed. thanks everyone
And at least they communicate what you'll get (or not get) on their website
Oh and no liquor or wine on SA before 12pm
Last edited by cur; Nov 14, 2016 at 6:02 am
Nov 28, 2016, 11:48 am
#11
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Huntsville AL, previously Kwajalein - Republic of the Marshall Islands
Programs: CO Plat, DL Plat
Posts: 284
Just flew J from JNB to CPT earlier today on the 1010am flight - 'snack' was a croissant, some cheese and a few pieces of cut-up fruit. NO BOOZE! FA said they don't serve liquor on the domestic flights departing before 11am. Lame. 
Dec 3, 2016, 6:46 pm
#12
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Glad I'm booked on a 1p flight next month so I can at least get a real drink! Remember there is food in the SAA lounge, at least a good sandwich spread, some hot food items (chicken skewers). Though I do prefer BA|Comair catering (and the SLOW lounges).
Dec 27, 2016, 2:01 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2012
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Posts: 1,701
I was on a 13:15 flight from CPT to JNB today on SA334. Full hot meal service in J within choice of beef or fish. Came with Greek salad and dessert served all on one tray. Also economy class also got hot meal services with choice of beef or chicken.
In J booze included wine and amarula.
In Y there was selection of wine too
In J booze included wine and amarula.
In Y there was selection of wine too
Dec 28, 2016, 6:55 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cape Town
Programs: BA Exec Gold , Qatar Priviledge Club Plat
Posts: 1,584
I was on a 13:15 flight from CPT to JNB today on SA334. Full hot meal service in J within choice of beef or fish. Came with Greek salad and dessert served all on one tray. Also economy class also got hot meal services with choice of beef or chicken.
In J booze included wine and amarula.
In Y there was selection of wine too
In J booze included wine and amarula.
In Y there was selection of wine too