morning flight to Jo'burg
 

Has anyone taken the morning flight from Atlanta to South Africa? I'm wondering when the suggested sleeping time is, and when meals are served. All our previous flights from the US to SA have been evening departures.

Celia-
Yes we took it 5 years ago and will again in a few weeks. They asked us to lower the shades on the windows so people could start resting very early in the day. Trying to accustom us to the time change. They fed us 2 or three times during the flight, the last meal was of course breakfast just prior to arrival. Seems like we had a snack and dinner in a few hours, then they showed a movie and everyone slept or read. Liz

Celia - Call SAA and ask specifically what meals are provided and about when into the flight they are served. So many airlines these days are changing meal services, it's best to go to the source.

Thanks, Liz and Sandi. I will call SAA.

I want to minimize jet lag as far as possible (ha!), and was wondering whether to take a sleeping pill during the flight. I just wish airlines would schedule their flights for the convenience of passengers, rather than who-knows-what like they do now. No rational person would choose to arrive somewhere at the crack of dawn with no sleep, yet most flights to Africa and Europe from the US are designed just that way.

Celia, I've found that taking something even as mild as Tylenol PM helps immensely on these overnight flights. Skip the alcohol and maybe even the first meal - whatever you can to get on SA time immediately. Trying to adjust your schedule a bit the night or two before can also help.

Celia - I too prefer the night flight to SA, arriving next day in the evening, close enough time to go to sleep.

That said, we did a trip to Australia in '95, me having left NYC on a 12N flight, getting stuck with about 8-hr layover in SFO (it was Thanksgiving and my original flight was cancelled [slow day]); my partner arrived about 6pm from LAS and we didn't depart till 10pm. For me, especially, it was more than a full day, a little less for him.

We arrived in SYD at about 8am (+ a day), cleared Immigration/Customs and were at our hotel by 9:30am. We simply showered and changed clothing (off with the eau-de-Boeing clothing) and were out into the sunshine before 11am. Spent the day visiting wherever at the Quay, and about 6pm returned for a nap.

We had hoped to go for dinner between 8-9pm, but were really exhausted. So we just slept thru; naturally getting up about 3am, but managed to get back to sleep and up by 7am. From there on we were fine. No jet lag.

So it can be done arriving in the morning. It's important to get out into daylight to reset you body clock and stay up as close to sleep time that first day and you should be okay.

Still on our Southern Africa trip in '01, I was fine with the overnight trip, but the jet lag actually hit me 6-days later in Botswana. So it's anyone's guess how your body will react.

Do take a pill if/as you would for a night flight, you still have 10-hours to sleep - so do it.

Ok, thanks all! I will plan to down an Ambien about 8 hours before arrival.

(Our Kruger and Umfolozi reservations are confirmed! Still waiting to hear about our flat in Johannesburg.)