Founded in 1934, South African Airways (SAA) is the national flag carrier and largest airline of South Africa, with headquarters in Tambo International Airport in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng, in South Africa.
The Fleet
The airline has a fleet of 54 aircraft, with an average age of 9.8 years. The fleet comprises eleven Airbus A319-132s, ten Airbus A320-232s, six Airbus A330-200s, eight Airbus A340-300s, nine Airbus A340-600s, eleven Boeing 737-800s and one Boeing 737-200. It also has 58 Boeing 737-300s.
Destinations
South African Airways operates from Johannesburg, South Africa, to 38 destinations worldwide via 554 flights each week between Johannesburg – Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth, from its Johannesburg hub, as well as code-shared flights between Lanseria – Cape Town and Durban. Regionally, SAA serves 24 destinations across the African continent, including Abidjan, Accra, Blantyre, Brazzaville, Cotonou, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Douala, Entebbe, Harare, Kinshasa, Lagos, Libreville, Lilongwe, Livingstone, Luanda, Lusaka, Maputo, Mauritius, Nairobi, Ndola, Pointe Noire, Victoria Falls and Windhoek. The airline’s international network creates links to all major continents from South Africa through 10 direct routes and code shares, with daily flights from Johannesburg to London (Heathrow), Frankfurt, Munich, Mumbai, Perth, Hong Kong, Beijing, New York, Washington and Sao Paulo. SAA has code share agreements with 29 other airlines across the markets it serves.
On Board Facilities
South African Airways offers the finest entertainment in the skies, from the latest blockbusters to news, music and interactive games. The in-flight entertainment comprises of on-demand entertainment for passengers on long-haul international and regional flights. Each Business Class seat is fitted with a 12-inch screen, while each Economy Class seat has its own 10-inch screen. Passengers can enjoy over 100 movies from the latest blockbusters to old classics and a wide selection of African and Asian titles. You can also access up to 100 TV features, including the latest full-season series, comedy shows and fun kids’ programming. Gaming enthusiasts can pick from 15 games, while music lovers can browse through 14 radio station channels and over 170 albums. You can also use the handsets facility to track your flight. In addition, there is the option of duty-free shopping on board.
Ground Facilities
For hassle-free check-ins, both kiosks and desks are available. Additionally, you can ask for special assistance in case of pregnancy, disability or any other medical condition.
Booking Online
You can conveniently book your tickets online and choose your preferred seats. You also have an option to pre-book your meal. Opt for web check-ins to save time and effort.
Before You Leave Home
You must adhere to the restricted items list and also be careful about the baggage allowance limits, since it differs from place to place. In general, Business class is allowed 2 pieces of luggage not weighing more than 32kg (70lb) per piece and maximum dimensions of 158cm (62inches) per piece. Economy class has a limit of 1 unit of luggage of maximum weight of 23kg (50lb) and maximum dimension of 158cm (62inches).