scottishpoet

So I finally made a BA flight operated by Comair. one way JNB to CPT

Flight was at lunchtime today.

No problems checking in online last night, rocked up at O R Tambo at 11:30 today

I was booked in Y, I believed I had selected an exit row seat but did not check the seat map when I checked in online

At checkin I asked about my bags to see if I would be allowed them both in the cabin but she asked me to check one of the bags. Not a big problem and I obliged.

The boarding pass was marked with FastTrack and also said "Group 2"

This was my first time in domestic departures at JNB

I wandered off to security, did not see any fast track security but the regular security was empty so I went through in a matter of minutes.

on the other side the shoe shine boys were trying to get me to "sanitise my shoes". I elected not to, I can imagine some unfortunate souls (soles??) think it is required and do it

I went up to the floor with the lounges, as Silver I can use the slow lounge. A couple of taps on the keyboard and a scan of my boarding pass and I am told I can proceed. I was impressed iwth the lounge, it was much bigger than I was expecting, there was a good range fo food, however there were no cards saying what anything was, So i Had no idea f the sausages were beef, pork or chicken. They were just shutting down breakfast and setting up what I assume would be "rest of day" foods which meant there were plenty of staff around to ask (they were chicken)

As well as self service coffee machines there was also a bar with a counter service and they could make coffees there.

I picked a seat by the windows and watch the domestic apron operations

Eventually it was time to head to the gate our gate was D8, probabaly aout as far as you could get from the lounge. There appeared to be 3 Qs, a couple of signs saying "Priority Boarding on left". nowhere were group numbers mentioned. I asked a couple of people what groups were considered priority but nobody seemed to know. So I joined the left Q. They scanned my boarding pass and I boarded no problem.

The aircraft was a 737 800, but it was like a blast from the past as I boarded to see 5 seats in a 2-3 formation in business class then 3-3 behind the curtain in Y.

I get to row 15 and it turns out 13 and 14 were the exit rows. Ah well, not a big problem.

The pilot informed us our flight time would be 2 hours and 2 minutes, smooth flying conditions expected, We pushed back about 10 minutes early

as we approached our cruising altitude the seat belts signs went off, but there were quite a few bumps and after a few minutes the seat belt signs went back on.

The service started, filled rolls with a choice of either chicken mayo or tuna and tomato, and what appeared to be a full bar service but as the seat belt signs ere on tea and coffee could not be served. I had a water.


Seat belts signs remained on for about 1 hour, we commenced our decent into CPT around 30 minutes before landing. We landed around 10 minutes early, parked up on an apron position. We were disembarked 2 rows at a time to allow us to maintain social distancing, well policed with a member of crew walking through the aisle making sure everyone was remaining seated until they said those reows could disembark.

We all followed the process down the stairs and all piled onto the same bus.

A short transfer to the terminal where the bags were already making their way out onto the belt.