SAA First Class LHR/CPT
Oct 13, 2002, 11:12 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: BKK/YVR/EWR
Programs: SQ TPP, LH Senator, TG Gold, AA Platinum
Posts: 454
SAA First Class LHR/CPT
I had my first experience with SAA and was very impressed. I had my doubts with what I had been reading on this board. The ground staff were among the best I have ever experienced anywhere. The inflight crew picked up where the ground staff left off and provided platinum service from start to finish. The breakfast was served with the same energy and professionalism as the dinner. The cuisine was fresh and tasty with the usual variety of offerings. I will happily post the menu if anyone desires. Carfield??
Nov 3, 2002, 11:11 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: BKK/YVR/EWR
Programs: SQ TPP, LH Senator, TG Gold, AA Platinum
Posts: 454
RTW4, The aircraft was configured with the new First Class seats. I was originally scheduled on the day before with the old style seats. Sorry for my delay in posting the menu.
Dinner
Hors d'oeuvre
Crab Mousse Timbale
With smoked Salmon and a mixed salad with sun blush tomatoes
or
Grilled Mediterranean Vegetables
Served with fresh garden greens
Salad
Seasonal Salad
A fresh selection of salad greens and garnishes served with a creamy Verdi dressing or a red vinaigrette
Entrees
Beef Filet
Covered in a rosemary and red wine sauce, served with courgettes, roasted sweet potato and julienne leeks
or
Chicken Supreme
Grilled with lemon and garlic, topped with a thyme jus and accompanied by saffron rice, turned carrots and sliced courgettes
or
Seared Escolar
Topped with a Vierge sauce, served with Basmati and wild rice, baby bok choy and Roma tomatoes
Triangle Artichoke Pasta
Covered in a Mornay sauce, garnished with rocket lettuce and shaved Parmesan cheese
Cheese and Dessert
Lime Zing
Served with a raspberry coulis
Vanilla Ice Cream
Cheese Board
A selection of cheeseand biscuits, grapes, walnuts and ready-to-eat figs
Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee or Tea
Presented with chocolate pralines
Breakfast
Various fruit juices, teas and freshly brewed coffee
A plate of delicately sliced fresh fruit
A choice of natural or fruit-flavoured yoghurt served with a variety of breakfast cereals and milk
Full Breakfast
Any combination of the following:
Boiled Eggs
Cooked to order
Egg and Cheese Roll
Kassler Steak
Button Mushrooms
Grilled Tomato
or
Cold Plate
Featuring salami and smoked turkey slices, Emmenthal and Cheddar cheese
A Bread Basket
Filled with an assortment of breads and pastries, served with butter and preserves
Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee or Tea
Dinner
Hors d'oeuvre
Crab Mousse Timbale
With smoked Salmon and a mixed salad with sun blush tomatoes
or
Grilled Mediterranean Vegetables
Served with fresh garden greens
Salad
Seasonal Salad
A fresh selection of salad greens and garnishes served with a creamy Verdi dressing or a red vinaigrette
Entrees
Beef Filet
Covered in a rosemary and red wine sauce, served with courgettes, roasted sweet potato and julienne leeks
or
Chicken Supreme
Grilled with lemon and garlic, topped with a thyme jus and accompanied by saffron rice, turned carrots and sliced courgettes
or
Seared Escolar
Topped with a Vierge sauce, served with Basmati and wild rice, baby bok choy and Roma tomatoes
Triangle Artichoke Pasta
Covered in a Mornay sauce, garnished with rocket lettuce and shaved Parmesan cheese
Cheese and Dessert
Lime Zing
Served with a raspberry coulis
Vanilla Ice Cream
Cheese Board
A selection of cheeseand biscuits, grapes, walnuts and ready-to-eat figs
Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee or Tea
Presented with chocolate pralines
Breakfast
Various fruit juices, teas and freshly brewed coffee
A plate of delicately sliced fresh fruit
A choice of natural or fruit-flavoured yoghurt served with a variety of breakfast cereals and milk
Full Breakfast
Any combination of the following:
Boiled Eggs
Cooked to order
Egg and Cheese Roll
Kassler Steak
Button Mushrooms
Grilled Tomato
or
Cold Plate
Featuring salami and smoked turkey slices, Emmenthal and Cheddar cheese
A Bread Basket
Filled with an assortment of breads and pastries, served with butter and preserves
Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee or Tea
Nov 26, 2002, 4:26 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
On my flight back to LHR on LH from CPT I used the SAA first class lounge in JNB. It's not the fanciest, hippest lounge I've been to but the dinner service there is the best I've seen in any lounge. The food and wines were so good I was sorely tempted to ask for seconds and skip the meal onboard.
I wish more airlines had friendly and helpful staff in their lounges.
I wish more airlines had friendly and helpful staff in their lounges.
Nov 29, 2002, 8:30 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Miami Beach, FL, USA
Programs: AA EXP 2MM
Posts: 218
Does anybody know how to determine if a flight on a particular day has the flat bed seats or not? I'm booked LHR-J'Burg (SA229), then CapeTown-LHR )SA220) in early February, but for the life of me, cannot get a straight answer from SAA Customer Service as to which flights will have the new versus old style seats.
Their call center here in the US first told me that "all their 747s have the new seats", then a few days later a different agent told me otherwise. Then yet on a different day, another representative said she thought that all the 747 FC cabins were indeed due to be updated by Jan 2003. Not quite sure who to believe at this point!
Their call center here in the US first told me that "all their 747s have the new seats", then a few days later a different agent told me otherwise. Then yet on a different day, another representative said she thought that all the 747 FC cabins were indeed due to be updated by Jan 2003. Not quite sure who to believe at this point!
Dec 11, 2002, 12:33 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by JimAtTheBeach:
Does anybody know how to determine if a flight on a particular day has the flat bed seats or not? I'm booked LHR-J'Burg (SA229), then CapeTown-LHR )SA220) in early February, but for the life of me, cannot get a straight answer from SAA Customer Service as to which flights will have the new versus old style seats.
Their call center here in the US first told me that "all their 747s have the new seats", then a few days later a different agent told me otherwise. Then yet on a different day, another representative said she thought that all the 747 FC cabins were indeed due to be updated by Jan 2003. Not quite sure who to believe at this point!</font>
Does anybody know how to determine if a flight on a particular day has the flat bed seats or not? I'm booked LHR-J'Burg (SA229), then CapeTown-LHR )SA220) in early February, but for the life of me, cannot get a straight answer from SAA Customer Service as to which flights will have the new versus old style seats.
Their call center here in the US first told me that "all their 747s have the new seats", then a few days later a different agent told me otherwise. Then yet on a different day, another representative said she thought that all the 747 FC cabins were indeed due to be updated by Jan 2003. Not quite sure who to believe at this point!</font>
Here's what SAA's timetable says :
"SAA serves London 21 times a week from South Africa and has introduced new lie-flat seats in Business Class on selected flights on the Johannesburg London route. The early flight from Johannesburg to London and the early flight from London to Johannesburg will usually offer these services, as well as the new millennium First Class beds and the millennium Economy Class product with individual video screens for all passengers."
Looking at the seat maps in the timetable, it would seem that there are six different F class configurations in SAAs 747 fleet.
johan
Jul 29, 2003, 9:52 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
Bringing this forward to see if anyone has had a recent experience using the SAA First Class Lounge at JNB. I have used BAs Terraces Lounge a few times when flying that carrier to LHR, but now have a CX trip coming up in First Class. Their website indicates CX uses the SAA First Class Lounge rather than that of their oneworld partner BA. So, has the lounge been improved? Is there still dinner service as referred to above, and is it open to those flying in First on SAA, or is it open servce? I assume there is a separate room for First Class passengers versus Business Class and elite travellers.
Any observations would be appreciated. I have peeked in at the lounge when through JNB, but never been inside. Thanks.
Any observations would be appreciated. I have peeked in at the lounge when through JNB, but never been inside. Thanks.
Jul 31, 2003, 4:47 am
#9
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Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
SH
If CX tells you to use the SAA First lounge then I would do just that. Just to make sure we are talking about the same thing, it is the one at the end of the mezzanine pier, diagonally opposite the VS Clubhouse. It's called the Cycad lounge and, whilst it is nothing to blow your mind away, has very good SA wines, champagne, and a very speedy full-dinner service. The ostrich I've had there beats what I've eaten in restaurants in CPT!.
The lounge also has showers, desks, etc.
If CX tells you to use the SAA First lounge then I would do just that. Just to make sure we are talking about the same thing, it is the one at the end of the mezzanine pier, diagonally opposite the VS Clubhouse. It's called the Cycad lounge and, whilst it is nothing to blow your mind away, has very good SA wines, champagne, and a very speedy full-dinner service. The ostrich I've had there beats what I've eaten in restaurants in CPT!.
The lounge also has showers, desks, etc.
Jul 31, 2003, 4:59 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
SA wines...Ostrich...Hmmm, good, yum. 
Let's hope that's where they send me. But just in case, I will still head to The Butcher Shop the night before for my ceremonial "last dinner". [Sorting through receipts last night and came across the one for my dinner there in February: R180: appetizer, salad, game, bottle of Shiraz, bottle of water, taxes and service!]
Let's hope that's where they send me. But just in case, I will still head to The Butcher Shop the night before for my ceremonial "last dinner". [Sorting through receipts last night and came across the one for my dinner there in February: R180: appetizer, salad, game, bottle of Shiraz, bottle of water, taxes and service!]
Oct 7, 2003, 2:08 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: sadly, mainly grounded...
Programs: LH M&M, FTL / *S
Posts: 407
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by johan rebel:
Only two aircraft have lie-flat seats in C, ZS-ZAK and ZS-SAZ. Both are 744s, with 39 C seats, as opposed to 56-61 seats on the other 744s and 743s.
Here's what SAA's timetable says :
"SAA serves London 21 times a week from South Africa and has introduced new lie-flat seats in Business Class on selected flights on the Johannesburg London route. The early flight from Johannesburg to London and the early flight from London to Johannesburg will usually offer these services, as well as the new millennium First Class beds and the millennium Economy Class product with individual video screens for all passengers."
Looking at the seat maps in the timetable, it would seem that there are six different F class configurations in SAAs 747 fleet.
johan
</font>
Only two aircraft have lie-flat seats in C, ZS-ZAK and ZS-SAZ. Both are 744s, with 39 C seats, as opposed to 56-61 seats on the other 744s and 743s.
Here's what SAA's timetable says :
"SAA serves London 21 times a week from South Africa and has introduced new lie-flat seats in Business Class on selected flights on the Johannesburg London route. The early flight from Johannesburg to London and the early flight from London to Johannesburg will usually offer these services, as well as the new millennium First Class beds and the millennium Economy Class product with individual video screens for all passengers."
Looking at the seat maps in the timetable, it would seem that there are six different F class configurations in SAAs 747 fleet.
johan
</font>
thanks a lot.
May 17, 2004, 11:15 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2001
Location: BKK/YVR/EWR
Programs: SQ TPP, LH Senator, TG Gold, AA Platinum
Posts: 454
SAA First class
Hi there, I highly recommend calling the SAA call centre. I have read reports here about poor or inaccurate service. This was not my experience---everybody from the groundstaff --to flight crew--was exceptional!! ^ ^