South African Airways Summer Schedule Adjustment
For Service Between Washington, DC and Johannesburg

February 11, 2008


Dear Travel Partner:

Due to high demand during the summer season, South African Airways will institute a temporary summer schedule for its service between Washington, DC-IAD and Johannesburg, South Africa. Effective June 15 through August 15, 2008, SA #208 from Washington, DC-IAD to Johannesburg will make a brief fuel stop in Dakar, Senegal. By making this scheduled stop in Dakar, it will enable SAA to accommodate more passengers during the peak travel season, in which the warmer weather often creates weight restrictions that limit the aircraft’s capacity on a non-stop flight of this duration.

Flight Schedule Effective June 15 through August 15, 2008

DEPART IAD 540P ARRIVE JNB 445P+1

the weight restrictions they refer to is the luggage they leave behind intentionally when the plane is full!!!! the bad PR they are getting because of luggage left behind is finally catching up to the SOB'S

I think that's a very positive effort on SA's part to improve customer relations. I guess the cattle prod worked!

I will still avoid this airline -- they suck!

Kathi, does this impact the connecting flights...such as the evening flight to Harare?

Bill,
No, the flight arrives JNB at 4:45pm
and the flight to Harare leaves at 7:30 pm
It will not connect with the flight to Windhoek though.

quote:

DEPART IAD 540P ARRIVE JNB 445P+1

...bring back the Boeing 747-400! That A/C has the "legs" (read fuel) to carry bags, and pax non stop to JNB. I rode 'em from JFK and MIA numerous times...non stop. There was always a stop in Sol on the return trip to the US, however.

On our July. 2001 flight on a 747-400 from Atlanta non stop to Cape Town, they first announced that we did not have sufficient fuel to make it to Cape Town so were diverting to Johannesburg.

Then as we taxied up to the gate in JNB they told us that they had necessarily left behind some baggage due to weight considerations. [it appeared, from the line at the SAA desk that about 1/3 of the passengers were affected]

Maybe cheaper fuel in Dakar?

Does the JFK to Johannesburg flight go non-stop or does it stop in Dakar also. Does anyone know?

The JFK-JNB flight stops both ways all year round.