SAA flitght changes after July 1!!!!

[8th Dwarf]

As of July 1, South African Airlines is no longer flying out of Atlanta.  There is some question as to where they will depart...New York, Dulles, Chicago???

If you have reservations for later than June 30, you need to check with your travel agent or your airline.

I leave for Africa on July 2 and it will be a while before they can tell me the departure place and time.  I got free Business Class tickets through Delta and I was promised that those will be honored, for what that is worth.

GOOD NEWS!  As of December, DELTA will be flying direct to Jo-Burg from Atlanta!  It will be a much better run flight than SAA, which has gotten worse each year...

Too Short

[Brute killer]

Cool! Now I can get a Delta charge card and start racking up some miles. (Or get one for my wife and rack them up twice as fast    )

[Blackhawk]

Yes,I received word about that too.    

My partner and I are going to Greater Kuduland in mid-July and our travel agent told us Washington, DC    

BTW Too Short, I guess I have been misinformed about SAA Airlines since I heard they were pretty good.  Any advice?

[TradAlaska]

SAA'S Airbus is TERRIBLE.  My knees were brused from grinding into the seat in front of me -- and I mean that quite literally.  The service was lousy and the cabin temp was way way way to hot where we were sitting while in other sections passengers were asking for blankets..  I will never fly SAA again and I will not fly coach.  When SAA was flying the 747 it was tolerable.  Next time over, we will be flying either Delta or British Air.

Cheers from Alaska

[cch]

Blackhawk, I have heard that SAA is changeing there seating some. They are takeing out some of them to allow more leg room. Also there is a chance that we will be on a 747 since they have a lot flying out of D.C. I hope we get lucky and not get an old Airbus but that is why I have sleeping pills. Being 6'4" and 240# I can just take a couple of sleeping pills and a drink or two and they can cram me in a seat and then wake me up when we get there.

[Rick McGowan]

SAA sucks and they have sucked for a long time, I first flew to SA in 79 and they sucked back then. It was the only airline that thought it was a good idea to have a smoking section on the left side of the plane and nonsmoking on the right side!

[8th Dwarf]

You're stuck with SAA until Delta starts flying in December, I guess.  Heck, you're going to Africa, so take Ambien and suck it up and move on.

At least I got FREE business class and supposedly the stewardesses aren't as SNOTTY there as they are in coach.  Reverse Apartheid is what I have heard it called!

Too Short

[TradAlaska]

What do you mean "suck it up" Too Short.  I understand you can put your legs out straight, point your toes and just barely touch the seat in front of you, even in coach.  I don't believe it, but someone said they bring you a jumper seat so you can reach the tray table when they serve a meal; that can't be true can it?

Being a tad larger than average, the last time over on the Airbus was pure torture.

Cheers from Alaska

[BTH]

Sounds like I'm using Delta when I go in 2007.

[Rick McGowan]

Paul dosn't really need the stewardess to lift him up into his seat, he just likes it!

[cch]

I envy anyone who has leg room on an air plane. Hell I can't even stand straight up walking down the isle.

[8th Dwarf]

Believe it or not, EVEN I HAD NO LEG ROOM IN THAT ^%$#$%^ AIRBUS!

It's built by the french...what do you expect from the nation with the most losers/whiners/effeminate dorks/unwashed/and just plain RUDE people on earth?  

First Iraq, then france!

Too Short!

[hunt it]

Why don't you guys look at flying into Heathrow or Frankfurt and connecting to Joburg. I have done it both ways number of times with great results each time. You usually will end up with a twelve hour layover, check into hotel at airport sleep eight hours and the next leg and arrival is much easier on you. Just a suggestion.

[JC]

When I went 3 years ago, I paid an extra $200 and rode on the upper deck of the 747....WELL worth the money. I actually enjoyed my flight quite a lot. And then, at Jo-burg, I stayed in one if their "executive lounges" for my 5 hour layover that you simply walk up and ask for an appointment...paid like $20 for a shower, fast internet, sandwiches, any cold drink you could want (both hard and soft) and a comfortable couch for a nap. I thoroughly enjoyed the travel portion of my trip, hope it's at least half that good next time and I'll be happy.

[Biggie Hoffman]

At 6'4" and 360# I paid for two seats on that %%#^&*^ airbus. Problem was, the armrest didn't go up. If TooShort had no leg room, you can imagine what I went thru for 17 hours!

AARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

[Mark U]

If you get a 747, get in the upper deck and get either a bulkhead seat or emergency exit row seat, where they skip a row of seats.  

The first time I went, I ended up going to the back of the plane and slept on the life raft.