KhenleyDIA From Sweden, joined Feb 2005, 411 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 2323 times:
I will be buying tickets to Zambia this week, on South African Airways. A couple questions...
1. Flights from the East Coast (IAD, JFK, ATL) have 1 stop going to JNB. Where is it? Is it a Tech stop only?
2. I haven't decided which city to fly through. I have the option of flying on A343, A346, 744. Since I love flying and window views, I will be getting a window seat. I will also be flying "Y" class. So, with that info, which planes offer the most comfort? Either my flight there or back I will be flying on one of the 340s, maybe both ways, depending on input.
When I went to Zambia last time I flew BA through London. I look forward to a more direct route.
Thanks!
KhenleyDIA
Why sit at home and do nothing when you can travel the world.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31154 posts, RR: 76 Reply 2, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 2318 times:
Quoting KhenleyDIA (Thread starter): 1. Flights from the East Coast (IAD, JFK, ATL) have 1 stop going to JNB. Where is it? Is it a Tech stop only?
The stop is both ways. Accra for IAD, Dakar for JFK, and Sal for Atlanta. No traffic rights to Accra, seasonally used traffic rights to Sal, and full traffic rights to Dakar.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31154 posts, RR: 76 Reply 4, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 2248 times:
Quoting KhenleyDIA (Reply 3): So, with the tech stop, what is the turn around time? We are on the ground an hour or so?
You are on the ground for about 1h-1h15m. Since passengers deboard/board at every stop, it is more than just putting in more fuel.
The Dakar stop gets the most local traffic. Local traffic to Sal is minimal, so the stop can often be quick. While SAA cannot carry ACC-IAD traffic, they do carry local traffic on JNB-ACC, so people do deboard the plane on the JNB-ACC-IAD flight and board on the IAD-ACC-JNB flight.
KhenleyDIA From Sweden, joined Feb 2005, 411 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 2207 times:
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 4): You are on the ground for about 1h-1h15m. Since passengers deboard/board at every stop, it is more than just putting in more fuel.
The Dakar stop gets the most local traffic. Local traffic to Sal is minimal, so the stop can often be quick. While SAA cannot carry ACC-IAD traffic, they do carry local traffic on JNB-ACC, so people do deboard the plane on the JNB-ACC-IAD flight and board on the IAD-ACC-JNB flight.
Well, that answers that set of questions! Thanks!! Now, how about comfort on the 3 planes South African flies? Any thoughts? Experience?
KhenleyDIA
Why sit at home and do nothing when you can travel the world.
PA110 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 1952 posts, RR: 26 Reply 6, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 2184 times:
Quoting KhenleyDIA (Reply 5): how about comfort on the 3 planes South African flies? Any thoughts? Experience?
JFK A343 - no complaints.
IAD B747 - no complaints
ATL A346 - many complaints - see below.
The A346 aircraft operating the ATL flight has been severly criticised by North American passengers has having inadequate leg room. As a result, SA will be starting to reconfigure soon - but not in time for your trip.
Just FYI re transit stop... the airport at SAL lacks transit facilities. If SA is the only flight on the ground, you will be deplained and held in the departure lounge. If there are any other flights using the departure lounge, all passengers will have to remain on board.
KhenleyDIA From Sweden, joined Feb 2005, 411 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 2174 times:
Quoting PA110 (Reply 6): JFK A343 - no complaints.
IAD B747 - no complaints
ATL A346 - many complaints - see below.
Boy, that is VERY helpful info!! As for the reconfigure, when are they to start and finish? Any idea? I will be making this round trip a bunch in the future, so just curious when I should consider flying the 346 on it. Otherwise, I guess I will stick with the 744 and the 343 for now. THANKS!
KhenleyDIA
Why sit at home and do nothing when you can travel the world.
Aviationwiz From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 953 posts, RR: 4 Reply 9, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 6 days ago) and read 2002 times:
A343 - Can't comment, but I hear it's very similar to the A346 (not good)
A346 - Window seats have an IFE box cutting the seat width for underneath the seat in front of you, so do some seats in the middle section. Overall uncomfortable and pretty bad seat pitch. Try and get the row before an exit row or the exit row itself. One way you can always have your seat in the reclining position, even during meals, without having anyone behind you, and obviously an exit row for the leg room.
B744 - The best. Good seat pitch and comfortable seats on the lower deck, and on the upper deck you get increased seat pitch, and compartments next to your seat so you can store your carry on luggage there and not in the overhead storage area.
KhenleyDIA From Sweden, joined Feb 2005, 411 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 6 days ago) and read 1989 times:
Quoting Andz (Reply 8): If you have the choice at all....744 upper deck, Y class, better legroom, better service, quieter....no other option really.
Well, that is what I am hoping for! I get the 744 on the way done and the 346 on the way back. They couldn't get me the flights needed here in the states to get me on the 343. Oh well!
Thanks!
KhenleyDIA
Why sit at home and do nothing when you can travel the world.
KhenleyDIA From Sweden, joined Feb 2005, 411 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 1778 times:
Quoting Ibhayi (Reply 11): The uppder deck seat pitch on the 744 is 35 inches, on the 340 series it is being increased to 33 inches.
currently 31 inches and lower deck ont he 744 is 31 inches.
Thanks for the information! I was able to get myself on the upper deck for the way down and on the 346, I have a bulk head seat, so they TELL me there will be more leg room. Thanks again for the help and info!!
KhenleyDIA
Why sit at home and do nothing when you can travel the world.
SA7700 From South Africa, joined Dec 2003, 2930 posts, RR: 20 Reply 13, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 1723 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW HEAD MODERATOR
Quoting KhenleyDIA (Reply 12): Thanks for the information! I was able to get myself on the upper deck for the way down and on the 346, I have a bulk head seat, so they TELL me there will be more leg room. Thanks again for the help and info!!
When exactly are you flying out? Bulkhead seats on the A346, as far as I know, have very uncomfortable airbags in the seatbelts making it quite unpleasant.
Rgds
SA7700
When you are doing stuff that nobody has done before, there is no manual – Kevin McCloud
Miguel0881 From United States of America, joined Sep 2004, 73 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 1609 times:
I flew ATL-SAL-JNB-CPT and JNB-CPT-SAL-ATL last year on the 346 and thought the flights were great. Not much legroom, but excellent IFE. The flights from JNB-CPT were fun, with only like 10-15 people onboard (although I don't think they serve CPT anymore to the US). I also flew JNB-Lusaka on an SAA 737, which was fine, but completely full! Much more pleasant from Zambia was my return on BA (Comair) from Livingstone back to JNB. Also a 737, but completely empty, with huge seats in Y and great service. More like J really!
Aviationwiz From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 953 posts, RR: 4 Reply 15, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 1498 times:
Quoting Miguel0881 (Reply 14): I flew ATL-SAL-JNB-CPT and JNB-CPT-SAL-ATL
Reggaebird From Jamaica, joined Nov 1999, 1169 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 4 days 11 hours ago) and read 1461 times:
I will be flying IAD-ACC-JNB (B744 - Millenium Business Class), JNB-DUR (A319 - First Class), JNB-ACC-IAD (B744 - Millenium Business Class) in August. I look forward to it since SAA's business class was just voted as number 2 in the world by SkyTrax.
SA006 From South Africa, joined Sep 2003, 1883 posts, RR: 56 Reply 18, posted (7 years 11 months 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 1375 times:
Flown SAA's A346 on JNB-CPT and on CPT-JNB. Even on a 2 hour flight , the seat pitch and legroom is terrible. I don't recommend the A346 as all the others have.
From personal experience , as Andz pointed out , try and take 744 upper deck.
For you flight to Zambia , will you be going to Lusaka or Livingstone? You have an option between Lusaka being a 738 and LVI being an A319. Or you could be adventorous and take a CE 727-200
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