Confirmed Mango or buy BA
Jun 14, 2021, 6:17 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Washington DC
Programs: Delta 1MM, Delta SM, United Silver, Amx Plat, Delta Amx Plat, Six-T Plat, IHG Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 590
Confirmed Mango or buy BA
I hope everyone is healthy. So I live in the US and I will be treating myself to a milestone bday present trip from the US to Cape Town in Mid October. I'm flying to/from the US to JNB but am only using JNB as a transit point at the beginning and end of my trip. Cape Town is where I'll be staying. So I know none of us has a crystal ball and LOTS can change in travel, in the pandemic, and in world geopolitical stuff by mid-October. Let's assume though that my trip will go as scheduled, I need some advice about the leg of the trip r/t from JNB to CPT (I have my international tickets already so it's not possible to fly any other route other than JNB-CPT.) So right now I'm confirmed on Mango for the roundtrip but I know that Mango is not flying right now. I'm wondering if I should just assume that Mango won't be flying by mid-October so should I then just buy another r/t on BA since they still seem to have daily service between JNB-CPT? I'd welcome any helpful thoughts?? Thank you in advance and stay safe and healthy and safe travel to everyone. (I also know about Airlink and I'd consider taking them but since they are a subsidiary of SAA, and SAA is not flying now either, I'm a bit worried about booking Airlink.)
Jun 14, 2021, 6:35 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Southern Cali
Programs: AA ExPlat, Marriott Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 2,025
I hope everyone is healthy. So I live in the US and I will be treating myself to a milestone bday present trip from the US to Cape Town in Mid October. I'm flying to/from the US to JNB but am only using JNB as a transit point at the beginning and end of my trip. Cape Town is where I'll be staying. So I know none of us has a crystal ball and LOTS can change in travel, in the pandemic, and in world geopolitical stuff by mid-October. Let's assume though that my trip will go as scheduled, I need some advice about the leg of the trip r/t from JNB to CPT (I have my international tickets already so it's not possible to fly any other route other than JNB-CPT.) So right now I'm confirmed on Mango for the roundtrip but I know that Mango is not flying right now. I'm wondering if I should just assume that Mango won't be flying by mid-October so should I then just buy another r/t on BA since they still seem to have daily service between JNB-CPT? I'd welcome any helpful thoughts?? Thank you in advance and stay safe and healthy and safe travel to everyone. (I also know about Airlink and I'd consider taking them but since they are a subsidiary of SAA, and SAA is not flying now either, I'm a bit worried about booking Airlink.)
Jun 15, 2021, 4:07 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 635
Basically I think you can wait and there will be tickets on flights on either BA or Airlink or one of the other carriers right up to the day, but that fares will creep up. if you are happy to write-off your Mango money and just book different flights then equally, why not? Fares generally only go up when the lowest fare buckets sell out. As pointed out by FlyingFrZ, Airlink has never been a subsidiary of SAA but they did code share and their financial arrangement meant some tickets booked through SAA still haven't been refunded. But Airlink have cut all links to SAA and are a very reliable airline, as are BA (Comair), as full service airlines on that route and I would happily book with either.