Saa Lhr-cpt

[nema/robin hood]

Hi Guys

Looking for a bit of info...:confused:

Myself and a few friends are off to South Africa at the end of February, and our outbound journey is with SAA, routing LHR to CPT.

Is anyone able to help with the route? (i.e. Will we fly down the 'middle' of the African Continent or do we route out over the Atlantic Ocean)

Also, does anyone have any tips as the best 'Y' seats on the SAA A346?

Hope you can help

Stu :)

[Geezers of Nazareth]

Stu,

I *think* that the SAA flight routes out over the Atlantic. I sometimes hear it on HF talking to Sal Radio, which it would only do if were over the ocean.

For seating layouts, try http://www.seatguru.com/ .

[PAXboy]

The last time I flew that route - but with VS - we crossed North Africa at the same point as every one else, crossed the Sahara and then Libya; Niger; Nigeria; then over the coast and down the western coast - but always over the sea. Then to CPT/FACT.

[Pax Vobiscum]

Since the booked time for the flight is almost the same time as the nonstop BA (it's actually 20 minutes longer, which is probably accounted for by the slightly more pedestrian pace of the 346 vs the 744 :)) I strongly suspect it takes a very similar route. I can well understand a desire to fly down the West coast rather than overfly some of the countries on the way - the great circle route pretty much hugs the coast anyway.

In the days of apartheid and sanctions, SAA had to fly out to Ilha do Sal and back again (i.e. no overflight of continental Africa) which added several hours to the flight time. SAA used the extended range 747SP on the CPT route. At the time (before the introduction of the 744 made nonstop LHR-SIN and trans-Pacific flights possible), I believe this was the longest commercial sector.

[nema/robin hood]

Just a quick 'Thank you' for the quick and informative response.

Cheers:ok:

Stu:)

[PAXboy]

Yes, PV that sounds right.

If you really need to know the details n/rh then ask me again and I'll email my nephew who was on that route up until about six months ago on the 346 and in the part of a/c where the windows are in the front, not the side. :p