New SAA A330-300
Feb 11, 17, 11:56 am
#31
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Programs: A3 Gold, SQ Gold, EK Gold
Posts: 37
Some pictures up at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/south...s-los-jnb.html
Feb 12, 17, 9:53 pm
#32
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 152
Originally Posted by jetboys360
I will be flying on the new Girl in December from Munich to JNB. Believe All of US this will appreciate it on here if you do a trip report with loads of pics on the new A330-300 when trying the front cabin... my current seat is 4A!
Last edited by jdj84; Feb 12, 17 at 10:10 pm
Feb 12, 17, 11:55 pm
#33
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: N/A
Programs: UA 1K, BA Gold, LH/SN/LX Senator
Posts: 447
Originally Posted by jdj84
Might want to check that again! I was scheduled to fly it from Munich to JNB in Nov, but it has since been downgraded to an A340, and from looking on Expert flyer, it's all A340 for November and December. Not sure where the A330 is going, but its definitely not starting daily from June 4.
Feb 13, 17, 4:28 am
#34
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Johannesburg
Programs: SAA Voyager Plat, Diners Club Prive, Amex Plat, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 426
Originally Posted by evanb
It'll fly Munich during the South African winter (low-season), but then revert to A340-600 during the South African summer (high-season).
I had specifically booked to come home on the 3rd of Jan as the 4th was showing A346. Looks like I should've stayed the extra day.
Mar 16, 17, 10:29 am
#35
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: fwp blood diamond, dykwia uranium
Posts: 7,140
Originally Posted by evanb
They currently have three A330-300s. They are currently flying daily JNB-LOS-JNB, daily JNB-GRU-JNB and the additional 3x weekly JNB-GRU-JNB. That is pretty good utilization. That they are getting some shorthaul JNB-CPT-JNB as well is bonus.
i see the jnb gru (sa222) is now on a 332...what are the odds of swapping to the 333 last minute/week of?
or based on this i will be on the 1 flight per week that doesn't have the 333?
http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...from-dec-2016/
Mar 16, 17, 12:12 pm
#36
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL GM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Radisson Gold; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 5,133
Just flew this JNB-GRU. Unfortunately I destroyed my phone at landing so no pics But my one warning would be to avoid Row 8 as it is missing a window and the fuselage bulges out making the width of the seat limited. It feels a bit claustrophobic as there is a floor-to-ceiling cabinet across the aisle, and people queue for the restroom. Row 11 is also missing a window.
I moved to Row 9, as there was a total of 1 passenger in the rear business cabin. That seat has particularly good storage underneath the footwell.
The cabin was quite striking, but I found the seats not to be very comfortable as they lacked padding. Also, the mirror in the bathroom was already cracked and repaired with duct tape!
Happy to answer any questions people might have./
But my one warning would be to avoid Row 8 as it is missing a window and the fuselage bulges out making the width of the seat limited. It feels a bit claustrophobic as there is a floor-to-ceiling cabinet across the aisle, and people queue for the restroom. Row 11 is also missing a window. I moved to Row 9, as there was a total of 1 passenger in the rear business cabin. That seat has particularly good storage underneath the footwell.
The cabin was quite striking, but I found the seats not to be very comfortable as they lacked padding. Also, the mirror in the bathroom was already cracked and repaired with duct tape!
Happy to answer any questions people might have./
Mar 17, 17, 11:19 am
#37
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Madison, WI
Programs: UA 1k, HH Diamond
Posts: 146
Originally Posted by Adam1222
Just flew this JNB-GRU. Unfortunately I destroyed my phone at landing so no pics But my one warning would be to avoid Row 8 as it is missing a window and the fuselage bulges out making the width of the seat limited. It feels a bit claustrophobic as there is a floor-to-ceiling cabinet across the aisle, and people queue for the restroom. Row 11 is also missing a window.
I moved to Row 9, as there was a total of 1 passenger in the rear business cabin. That seat has particularly good storage underneath the footwell.
The cabin was quite striking, but I found the seats not to be very comfortable as they lacked padding. Also, the mirror in the bathroom was already cracked and repaired with duct tape!
Happy to answer any questions people might have./
But my one warning would be to avoid Row 8 as it is missing a window and the fuselage bulges out making the width of the seat limited. It feels a bit claustrophobic as there is a floor-to-ceiling cabinet across the aisle, and people queue for the restroom. Row 11 is also missing a window. I moved to Row 9, as there was a total of 1 passenger in the rear business cabin. That seat has particularly good storage underneath the footwell.
The cabin was quite striking, but I found the seats not to be very comfortable as they lacked padding. Also, the mirror in the bathroom was already cracked and repaired with duct tape!
Happy to answer any questions people might have./
Thanks for the report - we'll be up in 3 D/G next week and will try to grab some photos.
Mar 20, 17, 12:08 pm
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,533
Originally Posted by Adam1222
but I found the seats not to be very comfortable as they lacked padding./
Johan
Mar 21, 17, 5:35 am
#39
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: N/A
Programs: UA 1K, BA Gold, LH/SN/LX Senator
Posts: 447
Originally Posted by johan rebel
J class seats apparently cost well over € 100,000 each. It is amazing how many airlines happily spend a fortune on such seats, yet often don't even get the basics right.
I'm pretty sure it has been extensively tested!
Mar 21, 17, 5:41 am
#40
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL GM; IHG PlatAmb; Hilton Dia; Marriott Plat; Radisson Gold; Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 5,133
Originally Posted by evanb
I think you'll be surprised by how much testing goes into seat design. The seat is not unique to SAA and all but the largest airlines taken an off-the-shelf design these days. This specific seat is the Thompson Vantage XL which has also been used by ANA, Delta, Swiss, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, Philippine Airlines, American, JetBlue, Edelweiss, Air Canada, Air Astana, Qantas, Finnair, SAS, China Eastern and Aer Lingus.
I'm pretty sure it has been extensively tested!
I'm pretty sure it has been extensively tested!
Mar 27, 17, 6:18 pm
#41
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Premier Platinum, UA 2MM
Posts: 7
hopefully someone can help on this. we're booked J from SFO to JNB in feb 2018, currently via LHR on SA237 (A332). any idea (hope!) if the new 333 will be deployed on the LHR route at that time? we have an alternative to route via ZRH on LX288 (A343). any preference of one compared to the other, assuming the SAA flight is with 332 equipment? i've been in LX J, but never in SA. a bit confused if the seat on the SA332 is a true lie flat vs angle flat. thanks.
Mar 28, 17, 9:40 am
#42
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: near Heathrow
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL (OWE), SA LifePlat (*G), BD Gold to the end, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,092
Originally Posted by rdmmsmsfo
hopefully someone can help on this. we're booked J from SFO to JNB in feb 2018, currently via LHR on SA237 (A332). any idea (hope!) if the new 333 will be deployed on the LHR route at that time? we have an alternative to route via ZRH on LX288 (A343). any preference of one compared to the other, assuming the SAA flight is with 332 equipment? i've been in LX J, but never in SA. a bit confused if the seat on the SA332 is a true lie flat vs angle flat. thanks.
The 332 has true lie flat seats. Seating is in pairs so I take the centre pairs as there is direct aisle access for both pax so no-one stepping over you (which is the case for the window seat occupant stepping over the aisle seat on the side pairs).
Mar 28, 17, 5:04 pm
#43
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 367
Can anybody give more input on the economy seat pitch on the A333?
The seating chart has been released and it says 30-32" seat pitch, which is hardly generous for a long flight. SAA is still touting generous legroom in their marketing, which might be true on the A340, but doesn't seem to be the case on the A333. Still, the scant one or two travel reports say that the legroom is ample. Any input?
The seating chart has been released and it says 30-32" seat pitch, which is hardly generous for a long flight. SAA is still touting generous legroom in their marketing, which might be true on the A340, but doesn't seem to be the case on the A333. Still, the scant one or two travel reports say that the legroom is ample. Any input?
Apr 22, 17, 9:33 pm
#44
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 27
Originally Posted by jbalmuth
Many thanks!
I flew last night in 9K (SA223 from GRU -JNB) the bulkhead in the 2nd cabin, and it had a near perfect amount of legroom insofar as my legs had no restrictions either in depth or laterally. The cabin was also quite cool, which made use of the duvet quite pleasant.
There is, however, an unexpected downside to this seat, an acoustical aberration as far as I can tell. There are six metal galley cabinets in front of the seat but before the light/noise blocking curtain, and the normal use of these cabinets by the crew causes a loud BAM each time they are shut. The crew made use of the cabinets throughout the flight, and neither earplugs nor noise suppressing earphones were at all successful in diminishing the BAM. My wife, in 10K was unaware/unaffected by what sounded in 9K to be slamming doors --- it was really just one of those acoustical oddities that pops up every so often in newly designed environments.
The return flight in a few weeks is a day flight; we'll try the front cabin for that one.
I flew last night in 9K (SA223 from GRU -JNB) the bulkhead in the 2nd cabin, and it had a near perfect amount of legroom insofar as my legs had no restrictions either in depth or laterally. The cabin was also quite cool, which made use of the duvet quite pleasant.
There is, however, an unexpected downside to this seat, an acoustical aberration as far as I can tell. There are six metal galley cabinets in front of the seat but before the light/noise blocking curtain, and the normal use of these cabinets by the crew causes a loud BAM each time they are shut. The crew made use of the cabinets throughout the flight, and neither earplugs nor noise suppressing earphones were at all successful in diminishing the BAM. My wife, in 10K was unaware/unaffected by what sounded in 9K to be slamming doors --- it was really just one of those acoustical oddities that pops up every so often in newly designed environments.
The return flight in a few weeks is a day flight; we'll try the front cabin for that one.
I am flying this plane from IAD-ACC-JNB in June with my husband. I just like be sitting next to the windows but this plan is 1-2-1. Would it be Wirth for me to sit in window while my husband sits in the middle section as close as possible? We are hesitant as it would also be lovely to sit next to each other in the middle section to talk and eat meals together and I worry being across the aisle in a staggered fashion will not allow this. Sounds like you and your wife both did the windows. How did that work?
Also, do you think that loud BAMs you experienced would also be an issue in the center of row 9, or just the windows?
