day flights from the UK to JNB
 

Hi all. I'm looking into booking some travel from the UK to JNB and notice that the direct flights (on BA and SA) in both directions seem to only be night flights (at least at the end of March). Am I missing something here? Or what would be the reason for the lack of day (i.e. non-overnight) flights?

Thanks :-:

Business travellers prefer night flights...
If you choose a routing via AMS, KL can help you out with a day flight to JNB and CPT.

Any reason you are looking for a daytime flight? Considering that LHR-JNB/CPT is about 12 hours, an overnight flight with dinner on-board, sleep, and finally breakfast would be the most efficient use of travel time.

So, what do the planes do all day after they have landed? Are they kept on the ground until evening flights?

(I prefer the day ones because I'll be in the back of the bus, and would rather use the time to work than uncomfortably try to get some rest)

The BA flights do stand idle until the return. My guess is that SAA may rotate their fleet to ensure that this does not happen for their aircraft.

That's exactly why KL switched to a day flight. Higher aircraft utilization keeps costs down.

Johan

Why is BA not turning around one of their early morning arrivals in JNB?

The demand for overnight far outstrips the demand for day flights. If BA had unlimited slots at LHR, then perhaps, instead of two flights on 747s/380s, they would consider a mixture with 787s being added for the day flights. But they don't, so they won't. The same comments apply to the CPT route also.

BA used to operate a day flight LHR-JNB, BA33, returning overnight as BA34.

2009 - 2013, if I remember correctly.

Johan

Likewise BA used to have one daytime flight from CPT (seasonal iirc).

And SA's craft spend the day idly at LHR in similar fashion. I would imagine that one reason night flights are popular is for connections. A daytime flight of 11 or 12 hours means that arrival is too late for most connections.

I have heard that BA have their craft cleaned in JNB to utilize some of that time and because it's cheaper than at LHR but no idea if that is (still) true.

There are some flights between JNB and CPT that use long haul craft during the day. It is not impossible to find yourself doing the domestic and connecting long haul flights on the same craft. Which is neat in one way - until you think about the schlep of the transfer you could have avoided if you could just stay aboard! :eek:

day flights from the UK to JNB
 

My parents do day flights from Manchester to Cape Town via Dubai as they are too old to skeep on planes. They stay in the airside hotel (about £100). For them it works out well as time isn't too much of an issue. Much cheaper option than business class. Don't know if there's a daytime flight to JNB or where in UK you want to fly from.