I booked an award ticket on SA234 for August 2018 which shows the A333 product and seat map. Fingers crossed it doesn't change! Main reason I booked that flight to try the new Business class. Would be very disappointed to get the A332 or A346...

I think you're very unlucky. I assume you're just doing the local leg, DDS-JNB? If you're coming/going all the way to IAD then try switch it to the IAD-ACC-JNB flight.

This happened to me as well on the JNB-GRU route, booked as an award through United. Any chance I can re-route? It seems there are no Business awards left in routes I need, but there are some Economy Saver. Should I chance the waitlist upgrade or remain on the old A332 business class, in hopes of a last minute swap? Pretty sure I should do the latter, as waitlist upgrade only works for United metal, and AFAIK there are no United flights out from JNB.

ETA: I will at least be experiencing the new A333 Business for JNB->CPT, but I'd much rather have it on the 10 hour flight than the 2...

Edit 2: I talked to a very nice agent who said she'd make the change for me if I found an alternate flight. I found one potential flight, on Ethiopian. One leg, JNB-ADD on a A350-900 and ADD-CDG on a 777-200LR. Any opinions/recommendations on SAA vs Ethiopian business? Should I make the switch?

You guys are speaking as is the A330-200 business class is solitary confinement on Guantanamo. It's still a pretty good and comfortable lie flat and particularly comfortable for sleeping. I'd take the SA A330-200 over any ET any day, and that is just the aircraft, nevermind better airport experience.

haha, you're right. It's not the worst :) I normally wouldn't care at all, but this is for our honeymoon, so I'm being a little picky!

Thanks for the input -- I'll stick with the flight we have :)

One question please, has the new aircraft with new J cabin been spotted on JNB-MRU routes please? Or in domestic flights to CPT ?

Thanking you
Elite13

Yes to CPT, MRU not sure. I know the airline recently stuck the aircraft on the LHR route permanently, so that now cuts your chance dramatically for other routes.

It's appeared frequency on JNB-MRU, four times in the last week on SA 190, and even on the extra SA 192 occasionally. They have barely been seen in Cape Town, but possibly to change with the new schedule.

Flew GRU-JNB-GRU on the A330-300 both ways. Was lucky on the return as it looks like most of the week they've subbed an A343.

Overall, seat much better than the A343/A346. I was in 2K, which is one of the window seats with the seat nearest to the window. Feels like a mini suite - almost a bit tight to get out of but private. I would've preferred sitting a few rows back as there was quite a bit of action in the forward galley. Row 1 would be quite noisy. I found the seat to be hard, even with the small mattress pad. Ultimately didn't sleep that well either way, partially due to turbulence during the middle of the Atlantic crossing. Service was a mixed bag.

Happy to answer any specific questions.

JNB - MRU return flight is sure medium-haul but due to pax loads, very often is 343/346/330 Aircraft. Otherwise its 737 and 320. SAA sometimes have 2 flights into and out of MRU a day. Especially during peak seasons/holiday.

At the moment SA346 (CPT/JNB) on 23 March is a 333. I'm booked in J, curious as to what I will find.
Not holding my breath though, the equipment has changed 3 times since I booked it in November.
And currently I can't log into MMB (but with SA's IT competence that's neither surprising nor unusual).

So. do you think SA 235 LHR-JNB should be safe, at least through the summer (northern hemisphere) ?

Yes, it has been mentioned that SAA has put the A333 permanently on the LHR route, I believe its daily flight and SAA has 5 of those aircraft.

Yeah relatively.