Hobie -- (If you've followed this thread from R & N) Maybe we were both making assumptions. The SAA Bangkok - Johannesburg service originates in Hong Kong so SAA often fly it with a spare crew to avoid duty hour limitation problems. Also its a popular destination for SAA crew (some of whom run their own import/export businesses) so it wouldn't be surprising for SAA flight crew to be travelling on consession tickets.
Flaps -- Good deduction - SAA east bound is always daylight, and westbound is night; Cabin staff in evidence between Hong Kong and Bangkok, but they disappear after Bangkok just about as soon as the wheels are up -- leaving a goodly assortment of miniatures for pax requiring a drink ... Guess that practise (help yourself bar) is about to stop forthwith. There's always some pillock that stuffs it up for the rest isn't there ... Said F/A had probably already imbibed staedily between Hong Kong and Bangkok ...