New SAA A330-300
#61
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: LX, BA, SQ, MH
Posts: 333
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...
#62
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: Delta Gold, Alaska Gold 75K, LATAM Black
Posts: 3,393
i specifically booked JNB DKR (DDS) for September 2018 to try the new A330. I just saw now the A330-200 ... probably nothing I can do .. as it’s a UA award right? This is terrible news!
#63
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: N/A
Programs: UA 1K, BA Gold, LH/SN/LX Senator
Posts: 449
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.
#64
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 8
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?
Last edited by sml310; Mar 2, 2018 at 1:21 pm
#65
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: N/A
Programs: UA 1K, BA Gold, LH/SN/LX Senator
Posts: 449
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?
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?
#68
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Cape Town
Programs: BA Exec Gold , Qatar Priviledge Club Plat
Posts: 1,584
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.
#69
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: N/A
Programs: UA 1K, BA Gold, LH/SN/LX Senator
Posts: 449
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.
#70
Join Date: May 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP, WN A+, Hyatt Glob, Marriott Amb, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,127
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.
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.
#71
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 197
I'm not sure what you mean, but the entire long-haul fleet rotate through JNB-CPT-JNB, JNB-LAD-JNB and JNB-MRU-JNB during the daytime for various reasons (cargo loads, passenger loads and aircraft utilization). Since most SAA long haul arrivals are early morning (except IAD and some GRU flights) and almost all long haul departures in the evening (except GRU, LOS and some ACC) there are plenty of aircraft that would otherwise just sit on the ground at JNB during the day. On any given day, SAA would have up to 12 widebody aircraft on the ground at JNB, with up to 7 then utilized on JNB-CPT-JNB, JNB-LAD-JNB and JNB-MRU-JNB.
#72
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,273
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).
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).
#73
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: BOS/MHT/PVD/BDL
Programs: Belong to Many but No Longer Loyal to Any
Posts: 880