Originally Posted by
TURIN
Wasn't it an SP for a while?
I believe that the inaugural South African Airways flight from Manchester to Johannesburg via London Heathrow was on the 26 May 1992. The first flight was flown with ZS-SAT, a Boeing 747-300.
When South African Airways started receiving their Boeing 747-400, these started to appear in 1994 when Johannesburg to Manchester was flown nonstop and remained on the route until it ceased in 1996 or 1997.
I'm not certain of South African Airways Boeing 747SP operating on the Johannesburg to Manchester route. The flights were originally via London Heathrow. Although I could be wrong regarding the Boeing 747SP at Manchester but SAA only flew from Cape Town to London Heathrow with this variant. Obviously SAA used their small fleet of Boeing 747SP on other routes within their network at the time.
South African Airways Boeing 747-300/400 were used on Johannesburg to London Heathrow during the same period as the Manchester flights. South African Airways Boeing 747SP operated from Cape Town to London Heathrow.
Although SAA Boeing 747SPs we're regularly seen at Manchester on weather diversions from London Heathrow.