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SAA flights

Hierdie blad is ook in Afrikaans beskikbaar. Sien SAL.

British Airways v SAA
Battle of the full service carriers

SAA (South African Airways) is South Africa's government owned national carrier (it owns the other government carrier, Mango airline). It offers the most comprehensive coverage of routes within South Africa, to and from South Africa. Flights are full service. SAA is a full service carrier, so do not expect the cheap flight prices one would get with the low cost carriers.

flight reviews

user comments

reservations

flight specials

flight routes

book a flightSAA flight reviews

6 Feb 2012: South African Airways review of a flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg - they were far from cheapest, but we decided to fly with them anyway, as it's been too long since we last did a review

SAA plane being boarded at Cape Town International Airport

31 Jan 2010: On this SAA Cape Town - Durban flight they provide proof that Kulula do not have the monopoly on in-flight humour.

19 Jan 2008: I fly SAA from CPT to JNB en-route to Mumbai, India.

18 Nov 2007: Aw, we didn't get seats next to each other - see our SAA flight review.

22 Jun 2007: Impressed with automated check-ins for my SAA flight to Cape Town.

20 Jun 2007: No queues for me on this SAA flight to Johannesburg.

SAA flight reservations

Call centre

Reservations

Email enquiries

Online bookings

0861 FLY SAA
0861 359 722
+27 11 978 5313

+27 11 978 1111

help@flysaa.com

flysaa
Protip - compare prices with other airlines.

Be sure to compare flight prices before you making a reservation.

SAA flight specials

Here's the latest SAA special (unless you're booking on the actual day of the special, it's likely it's sold out by now):

 

 

JNB-CPT

JNB-DUR

JNB-ELS

JNB-LON

JNB-PLZ

CPT-DUR

CPT-LON

25 Jan 2012
SAA March 2012

South African Airways flight prices in March 2012

R1012

R727

R932

-

R898

R1160

-

ª = return flights

SAA flight review

25 Jul 2010. "Country Gourmet Traveller" caught a South African Airways flight from Cape Town to Johannesburg to Dakar to New York, which he describes as one of his "favourite airlines": "What I like already is that there is more leg space than in many other airlines which makes long hauls a lot easier. I was flying from Cape Town to Johannesburg and then via Dakar to New York which is a 17 hour long trip, so it is very much appreciated to have these couple of extra centimetres... The service was outstanding, the food was good, ok the sandwich was a little weak, some sloppy wrap with beef inside, nothing to write about, but then the hot meal was very good and nicely presented. The choice of course the usual beef or chicken and I opted for the chicken, very tasty and good, no complaints. The movie choice could have been a bit better, but I guess if one doesn’t fly too often it is perfectly fine. I slept quite a bit on the way so it didn’t matter too much. The service passes often with refreshments, so one is very well looked after."

SAA flight routes

South African flights

SAA schedules flights between Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban and all the other major centres in South Africa.

International flights

SAA operates international flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to many major cities in the world.

Frequent flyer program

SAA Voyager frequent flyer program.

SAA's aircraft

Boeing 747-400

4 (all to be grounded end Nov 2007)

Boeing 737-800

17 (4 are leased to Mango airline)

Airbus A-319

11

Airbus A340 399 Extended Range

6

Airbus A340-200

6

Airbus A340-600

9

Callsign & IATA code

Callsign: SPRINGBOK
IATA code: SA
ICAO code: SAA

Delayed SAA flights

From the 1st January 2005 to the 31st January 2007, 24% of SAA's international flights were delayed and 23% of domestic flights were delayed.

Overbooking on SAA flights

Historically, SAA have compensated passengers who couldn't board an South African Airways flight as a result of overbooking. However, since the 14th October 2006 South African Airways no longer compensate their passengers who miss a flight as a result of overbooking.

SAA pilots

SAA is busy with a program aiming to increase the number of black pilots, through its accelerated programme for black cadets. Other domestic South African airlines have not shown as great an urgency to increasing the percentage of blacks amongst their crew, as South African Airways.

SAA safety

From 1970 to 2000 South African Airways flew some 1.6 million flights with 1 fatal accident (0.6 fatal events per million flights). SAA's sole fatal flight occured on the 28th November 1987; when a South African Airways 747- 200 Combi (the Helderberg), flying from Chiang Kai Shek International Airport to to Johannesburg via Mauritius, crashed during flight over the Indian Ocean, between Taiwan and South Africa, apparently as a result of a fire in the main deck cargo area. All 19 crew and 141 passengers were killed.

SAA's Skytrax ratings

SAA has a 4 star rating with Skytrax. In 2007, SAA flights were voted the best in Africa, by Skytrax.

SAA's marketing

Airline tickets are mostly sold online. Unlike major competitors like British Airways, Air France, Emirates, Virgin Atlantic and KLM; SAA has not set up affiliate marketing agreements to leverage sales on the internet. South Africans Airways' offline marketing effort has not had as much impact with members of SouthAfrica.to, as other airlines like British Airways.

Sawubona magazine

Sawubona means 'greetings' in Nguni. Sawubona is the name of South African Airways' in-flight magazine, carried on all SAA flights - international and domestic.

SAA's board

SAA's board members are much in demand by other companies! South African Airways' CEO (Khaya Ngqula) sits on 23 boards whilst their chairman (Jakes Gerwel) holds 26 directorships . In total the 10 South African Airways board members hold 136 directorships. Clearly the SAA board spend a fair chunk of their time solving other companies' problems.

British Airways versus South African Airways

In SouthAfrica.TO's experience British Airways offers superior service in terms of aircraft design, meals, check-in queues and marketing. Here's our analysis of British Airways versus South African Airways.

South African Airways' web traffic

The graph below provides an indication of the percentage of total web traffic which South African Airways is reaching through its website.

Legal entity

South African Airways (Proprietary) Limited Reg. No. 1997/0022444/07.

Subsidiaries of South African Airways

Airchefs (Pty) Ltd
Airchefs International (Pty) Ltd
SAA City Centre (Pty) Ltd
SAA Technical (Pty) Ltd
International Aviation Personnel (Pty) Ltd
Air Tanzania (Pty) Ltd (Tanzania) 

Latest SAA news

From 31 January 2012, SAA commences flights between Johannesburg & Beijing, China, using an Airbus A340-600. Flying time is some 15 hours, and the flight leaves JNB at 08h00 on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The return flight leaves Beijing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 06h40 (arriving at JNB at 15h40 the following day).