Airliners.net

SAA OPENS NEW ROUTES ON AFRICAN CONTINENT AND INTERNATIONALLY

JOHANNESBURG. 14 March 2005. South African Airways (SAA) is further strengthening its position in Africa and across the Atlantic with the introduction of new exiting business and leisure routes.
This is part of the aggressive implementation of its turn around strategy focusing on more connectivity for its passengers as well as its preparations to be a full member of the global network of airlines, Star Alliance.

Beginning July the airline takes corporate and business travellers to the pulse of the world's business capital, Washington.

Leisure travellers can anticipate the natural beauty and magnificence of the Indian Ocean Island, Zanzibar and Livingstone on the shores of the Victoria Water Falls in Zambia.

The service to Washington will operate four times a week via Accra (Ghana) in West Africa.

"Our American routes have shown tremendous growth and adding a third destination to North America provides a wonderful opportunity for expanding our global route network.

"Opening a further gateway to business travellers to the Americas supports our realignment strategy of People, Patronage and Profits aimed at providing our passengers an unsurpassable product and service, and reaching a financial turnaround.

"This new route as an extension of our existing service four times a week to Accra, and secures our position in West Africa," says Khaya Ngqula, SAA President and CEO.

The product offering on SAA's eight Boeing 747-400s that will service this route features a lie-flat seat in Business and First class.

The airline’s brand new Airbus A340-600s and A340-300E, already offer Premium passengers a world class product to New York and Atlanta, SAA's existing destinations in the United States.

"Adding Washington to our strong and firmly established New York and Atlanta hubs, gives us access to 95 destinations and 450 daily flights to other America cities, served by the Star Alliance partner, United Airlines.

SA207 to Washington, via Accra, will depart from Johannesburg at 18:40 on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, to arrive in Accra at 22:45. From Accra it will depart at 23:45 to arrive in Washington at 6:45 the next day.

SA208 will leave Washington on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 08:45 to arrive in Accra at 22:55. The flight to Johannesburg will leave Accra at 23:55 to arrive the next morning at 07:40.

“We anticipate that this route will grow with time to a daily service in keeping with SAA's strategy of growing all long haul routes,” says Ngqula.

SAA now flies daily to Sao Paulo, Frankfurt, Zurich, London (up to 4 dailies), New York, Atlanta, Mumbai and Paris.

Serving the leisure market, SAA will also from July take holidaymakers eager to discover the singular beauty of Zanzibar, twice a week to "the spice island", off the East coast of Tanzania.

At present Air Tanzania, in which SAA holds a 49% shareholding, flies between Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Zanzibar.

The direct flights from Johannesburg to Zanzibar will depart as SA186 at 10:00 to arrive in Zanzibar at 14:40 on Tuesdays and Sundays. SA187 will return from Zanzibar at 15:40 to arrive in Johannesburg at 18:40.

Livingstone, on the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls, will be served three times a week, on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturday, complementing SAA’s existing flights to the Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side.

SA048 will depart from Johannesburg at 13:55 to arrive in Livingstone at 15:45, and SA049 will depart from Livingstone at 16:45 to arrive in Johannesburg at 18:35. Both Zanzibar and Livingston will be served by the airline’s brand new A319s.

"Adding exquisite destinations like Livingstone and Zanzibar to our African route network, fulfills our aim to expand into Africa, our primary market.

"It gives us a deep sense of satisfaction to offer the people of this continent the opportunity to discover its beauty," says Ngqula.

Issued by South African Airways

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Here are the new Services and schedules SAA will take into effect 1
July 2005.

JOHANNESBURG TO WASHINGTON
-------------------------------------------------------
SA207 DEP JNB 18:40 ARR ACC 22:45 A/C B744
DEP ACC 23:45 ARR IAD 06:45+1 DAYS 1,3,5,7
SA208 DEP IAD 08:45 ARR ACC 22:55 A/C B744
DEP ACC 23:55 ARR JNB 07:40+1 DAYS 1,2,4,6

(NOTE: JNB/ACC/ABJ WILL THEREFORE BE CANCELLED AND OPERATE SEPARATELY)


JOHANNESBURG TO LIVINGSTONE
-------------------------------------------------------
SA048 DEP JNB 13:55 ARR LVI 15:45 A/C A319
SA089 DEP LVI 16:45 ARR JNB 18:35 DAYS 1,4,6


JOHANNESBURG TO VIC FALLS
-------------------------------------------------
SA044/045 OPERATE DAYS 4,5,6,7 A/C A319


JOHANNESBURG TO ABIDJAN
-----------------------------------------------
SA084 DEP JNB 19:00 ARR ABJ 23:45 A/C B738
SA085 DEP ABJ 01:45 ARR JNB 10:10 DAYS 3,5,7


JOHANNESBURG TO ZANZIBAR
-------------------------------------------------
SA186 DEP JNB 10:00 ARR ZNZ 14:40 A/C A319
SA187 DEP ZNZ 15:40 ARR JNB 18:40 DAYS 2,7

JOHANNESBURG TO LAGOS
--------------------------------------------
SA060/060 DAY 1 WILL CHANGE TO DAY 2.



ALL CHANGES EFFECTIVE 1 JULY 2005

Washington via Accra, that's a smart move... replacing the defunct GH flight that served BWI.   

When will ATL be ditched? Maybe not before SAA is not a full Star member?

Quoting Mozart (Reply 1): When will ATL be ditched? Maybe not before SAA is not a full Star member?

That's what I was wondering. Surely there's no sense to keep it now their link with DL will be no more. Perhaps another US destination instead?

Nice to see them expanding to tourist destinations in Africa. I'm wondering whether the LVI service will conflict with existing daily service to VFA, just across the border in Zim.

ZNZ is a great destination, and will allow pax to travel direct and avoid the rather hectic transfer in DAR. I believe TC used to operate direct from JNB to ZNZ weekly, but not any more.

Great news! I'm looking forward to seeing the SA 744's back on US soil. Looks like I'll be changing my reservations to leave from IAD.Anything to get some more room! Upstairs in the 744 is nice 

I imagine they will keep the ATL service and probably the codeshare with DL for the time being- I think the agreement with DL has been working really well, especially in the cargo dept. The last few times through ATL noticed a lot of pallets being unloaded and then loaded for the trip home.

Quoting SAA201 (Thread starter): Beginning July the airline takes corporate and business travellers to the pulse of the world's business capital, Washington.

World's business capital? Who are they kidding? Washington is only the capital of boring suits.

IAD is really a lousy airport, especially for morning departures.

If the flight departs at 0845 from IAD, there are inbound connections from the West Coast and from points in the East, but these East coast points depart from their origin points at about 0600 - terribly early.

So what does this mean for SAA's fleet of B744s then? I was always under the impression that they were to keep only 6 airframes active for Heathrow services, albeit with horrible utilization rates as these planes sit at LHR for the better part of a day.

It seems now that they are going to hold on to 8 B744 frames, and as they are (as per their own press release) operating up to 4 daily Heathrow services, does this mean that certain of those flights will be switched to A346?

Anyone in the know about the SAA LHR operations and the fleet plans with their B744s?

Stupid question on my part because there are several obvious factors but i'll ask anyway ... why do most international airlines seem to ignore BWI airport??? Over the years BWI has lost Air Aruba, Ghana (Defunct), El Al, and one more I believe. It's almost as if the international carriers came together to boycot BWI. BWI has like three measley international carriers and IAD has about four times that. And this despite the fact that BWI continues to serve more passengers than IAD or DCA. Just curious.

sonickidatBWI:

Perhaps international carriers are leaving BWI for better connectivity options in IAD? With SAA joining STAR it makes perfect sense, but even if we were to ignore IAD as a STAR hub for UA, there's still more connecting options with mainline carriers. The number one carrier at BWI is WN, who doesn't code share or interline with international carriers.

IAD isn't the easiest airport to get around in but it offers more connectivity with traditional carriers who already have reciprical agreements with other foreign carriers.

Just my hunch as to why the international carriers are leaving for Dulles...

FA4UA

While the JNB - IAD flights have been added to hte CRS, don't see ACC - IAD, so this flight is still not replacing Ghana Airways' service on the route. Could be a precursor to an upcoming announcement, but nothing on the plate at this time.

Does SAA have rights on the ACC-IAD leg. If they do is this the codeshare GIA was talking about?

SA don't have traffic rights between ACC and IAD (yet) - maybe they are still negotiating.

So what advantage do they have adding the IAD flight on the ACC flight.

When is SAA going to serve Tunis???!!! They could do well on a JNB-TUN-JFK in cooperation with TU though the routing is not the shortest one...

Quoting Dkny (Reply 12): So what advantage do they have adding the IAD flight on the ACC flight.

They have to stop somewhere on the northbound leg, otherwise they can't carry a full load all the way from JNB. Might as well be somewhere they can get some traffic uplift enroute, to make money. Plus, SA207 replaces the current SA088 JNB-ACC-ABJ which will run instead just JNB-ABJ. In fact the first week of June's SA088 flights will be operated by the 744, I guess these are proving flights for the 744 into ACC (has anyone operated 744's into ACC before ?).

Quoting JGPH1A (Reply 14): has anyone operated 744's into ACC before

I believe that both BA and KLM have previously done so during particularly busy periods.

Quoting JGPH1A (Reply 14): has anyone operated 744's into ACC before

BA was operating 744s into ACC as recently as last week.

As mentioned BA and KLM operate 747 on busy periods MEA / SBME), Brazil">MEA operated their 747 also on peak times (1990s early)
SAA operates A340 (4weekly)
KL MD11 daily
BA 767 daily
AZ 767 daily
ME a330 3 weekly
8u 4 weekly A320
Afrinat operated 747 into JFK / KJFK), USA - New York">JFK but suspended same as the leased orient thai by Ghana Airways
LH opeartes A330
EK operates a mixture of a330/a340 going daily soon
ethiopian operates a mixute of 757/767
KQ 4 weekly 767/73NG
b3 8-9 weekly 737
slok operates 5 weekly 737
air ivoire opertes f27 6 weekly
MS oprates its A300 2x weekly
those are the main operaters at the moment at accra

SA will soon get freedom to carry PAX on the ACC / DGAA), Ghana">ACC-IAD / KIAD), USA - Virginia">IAD with NO DOUBT

[Edited 2005-03-15 11:07:20]

Quoting B747-437B (Reply 16): BA was operating 744s into ACC as recently as last week.

Are you sure - the schedules equipment for BA081 is a 763. Maybe it was a replacement.

Quoting JGPH1A (Reply 18): Are you sure - the schedules equipment for BA081 is a 763

BA is running a 744 to Accra from February 18 through March 16 while the 763s are out of service to be reconfigured with the Club World seats. The 763 returns to the route on Thursday.

SA might keep its alliance with DL-SQ has one.

Quoting B747-437B (Reply 19): BA is running a 744 to Accra from February 18 through March 16

Sorry - you're quite right ! I was looking at April not March. Thanks.

AF02.....the Washington Metro area is a huge business center. Not only are the World Bank and International Monetary Fund here, but there are tons of tech, communications, defense contractors, and international development companies in the area. This is a good business decision for SAA. Don't let the blowhards in Congress be your perception as being all the DC area has to offer. No, it's not London, New York or Singapore, but it's significant.

And, it's only a matter of time (5 years...2010) when Dulles (IAD) is finally a decent airport. If you've flown through recently, you'll notice the incredible amount of construction going on, including tunneling for the subway system to replace the people movers. All Star Alliance carriers will be located together at the new C and D gates being constructed past the existing temporary (if you can call 20 years temporary) C and D gates. As a frequent Dulles flyer, yes, it's a mess, but it'll all be worth it in the future.

i readily note that IAD is improving. i had a few hours in transit last month and checked out the walkway to terminal B. although it is extremely long, the walkway is infinitely better than those mobile lounges. however, i believe chicago would have been a better fit with star alliance than washington.

Man, going to the RSA just isn't cheap anymore. I remember when even during the high season, SAA only wanted something like $1000-$1100 to go JFK-JNB, and you had the choice of SA202 or SA204 to get to JNB, or SA201 or SA203 to get to JFK, depending on the day you wanted to fly. That was only about 2.5 years ago too! They would even give you a free domestic US flight to get to JFK too. Now, for December high season, IAD-JNB (via ACC) they want $1836! Pricing from ATL & JFK is similar.

Quoting Aviationwiz (Reply 24): Man, going to the RSA just isn't cheap anymore. I remember when even during the high season, SAA only wanted something like $1000-$1100 to go JFK-JNB, and you had the choice of SA202 or SA204 to get to JNB, or SA201 or SA203 to get to JFK, depending on the day you wanted to fly. That was only about 2.5 years ago too! They would even give you a free domestic US flight to get to JFK too. Now, for December high season, IAD-JNB (via ACC) they want $1836! Pricing from ATL & JFK is similar

Yeah tell me about it   I booked my whole family (11 of us including kids,brothers, sisters etc) for our annual Christmas migration back to SA, and the fares are really high on SAA. I have been shopping for other flights- I found the cheapest on Emirates via DXB, for about $1400pp (adult on Orbitz from IAH), but the connection times are at an ungodly hour- don't know if the kids will be able to do it  Let me know if you find anything better!!

Quoting CXA330300 (Reply 20): SA might keep its alliance with DL-SQ has one.

DL/SQ's "alliance" has dwindled to a basic FFP relationship, nothing more.

While you can't garner Elite mileage, it is sorta shweet that (unless something's changed since 2002) you can upgrade SQ flights with DL miles