Domestic Business Class isn’t usually a fancy affair. In Europe, the vast majority of carriers use Economy seats with the middle blocked out. Back home in Australia, we have it a bit better with dedicated recliner seats on most flights – unless you land a Qantas Airbus A330 with international-grade seats.
It’s much the same with South African Airways (SAA). You’re in for a treat if you pick a flight between Johannesburg and Cape Town operated by the Airbus A330-300. These widebody jets sport SAA’s latest seat and usually dart to São Paulo and back. But they reposition on a domestic leg a few times a week, opening up the opportunity to redeem your Velocity Points on a better experience.
Transfer, lounge and boarding
I already landed in Johannesburg from Perth at 4:30 am in the morning, so there are another few hours until my flight to Cape Town. First order of business: a refreshing shower in the airside International Arrivals Lounge before I re-check my bags and make my way to the domestic terminal and the SAA Premium Lounge in the domestic terminal.
The breakfast spread in the domestic lounge is excellent and easily beats what we get in Australia. I slowly savour a barista-made cup of coffee while indulging in some crispy bacon and pastries.
These Airbus A330 domestic flights are solely to reposition the aircraft between its arrival and departure to São Paulo (SAA flies there from both Johannesburg and Cape Town on an alternating schedule). Because of this, the aircraft is parked at the international terminal, and we must take a bus from the domestic terminal.
Priority boarding is called first for Business Class. But as this isn’t a full flight, the bus waits for all the passengers to board so it can take us over in a single trip.
Seat layout and features
South African Airbus A330 has 46 lie-flat Business Class seats in a 1-2-1 arrangement. If these pictures give you the feeling of déjà vu, you’re onto something. It’s the same Thompson Aero VantageXL seat that Qantas uses for its international Business Class, just with different trimmings and other minor modifications.
I especially like the airy design of the middle bulkhead seats. With a slim literature pocket in the middle and no physical barrier between seats, it gives a sense of space. The rest of the seats are exactly as I expect – wide and comfortable. It reclines into a fully flat bed that’s almost 2 metres long.
The SAA Airbus A330 boasts a striking colour scheme that I love. Bold reds and sandy browns contrast against a dark blue frame. It’s very fitting for the South African carrier.
With 45″ (114 cm) of pitch, legroom is no issue. Along a side panel, there’s an AC charging plug and a space for headphones (though none are provided). Two seat control panels can adjust the position from upright to fully flat.
Food and beverage
To be honest, I’m expecting a bit more from the meal service. On this flight, the crew offers a cold plate of salmon mousse rolls with fruit salad and a drink. It’s beautifully presented and quite tasty, though I imagine having a second hot meal option would appeal to more passengers (including myself).
I know most flights on this route do offer hot food, so perhaps it’s just the mid-morning timing of SA317.
It’s too early in the morning for me to hit up the bar, but SAA stocks a decent range of soft drinks and alcoholic drinks, including wines from the local regions.
Amenities and service
The inflight entertainment turns on after take-off and is loaded with new-release movies, TV shows, games and more. On the crisp 15″ (38 cm) touchscreen, it’s easy to navigate and a pleasure to watch. I spend some time playing the Brain Teasers game, which offers a bit of a challenge.
South African Airways’ inflight magazine, Sawubona, is an interesting read – particularly as my hometown of Perth is the feature destination of the month. (If you haven’t heard, South African Airways has recently re-launched Airbus A340 services to Australia.) Service is friendly, though there’s no other interaction with the crew outside of the meal service.
How to book this flight with points
If you have a stash of Velocity Points, you can book this flight in Business for 26,000 Velocity Points + fees and taxes. If you connect from Perth-Johannesburg in Business within 24 hours, the total journey PER-JNB-CPT in Business Class will set you back 92,000 Velocity Points + fees and taxes.
There’s one hitch, though: you must call Velocity to book South African Airways. I advise researching seat availability on Air Canada Aeroplan or United MileagePlus first. Ignore the figures, as that doesn’t apply to Velocity Points – we just want to see if availability is there. If you can see seats, call Velocity to check if they can book it for you.
Don’t forget to also check the aircraft type to see if South African Airbus A330 is operating it. Whilst it’s no guarantee (aircraft swaps can happen), it’s likely the schedule will stick.
Our verdict
There’s very little to fault on a two-hour flight with lie-flat seats on South African Airbus A330. Compared to SAA’s other flights on this route, the downside to this flight is a trimmed-down mid-morning meal service and the need to be bussed to and from the gate at both airports – but that’s understandable, given the airport terminal requirements.
Apart from that, it’s a supremely comfortable and friendly ride to the beautiful city of Cape Town. I really hope I can visit again to explore the rugged Western Cape even more.
Photography by Brandon Loo, who travelled as a guest of South African Airways. All opinions remain his own.
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