karenwernette

Attn: mzcuriouz

Let me know what you learn as my husband & I, too, are planning on using our Delta mileage next June. I was just told by Delta that SAA doesn't have their schedules posted that far out yet.

You say you emailed star alliance, joined and posted on flyertalk.com. What does this mean? Thank you.

blacktie

Are you asking this? Count back 331 days from date of departure and call Delta at midnight then and reserve. Then ask for a courtesy hold on seats on the return, and then call Delta 331 days before that date and conclude the reservation, pay the taxes and have them deduct the miles. Get seats or two days later, call SAA in NYC and confirm all is fine and reserve seats. Delta will mail you the paper tickets. Odds are you'll be on #210 leaving at 10:30 a.m., with a stop en route to refuel.

mfleming

SAA joined the Star Allience with United Airlines, Lufthansa etc. By Jan 2005 they will no longer be partners with Delta. I have heard they also will be flying out of Washington Dulles instead of Atlanta.

SteviSquaw

Am posting this response in case no one has heard the news....Delta will be shutting down their Dallas operations in favor of Atlanta, first of all. But if SAA doesn't remain partners with Delta, then it's a moot point, I guess. I've had my flight booked for 8 months, and when I heard the news about Dallas, I panicked today (since that's where I'm initially leaving from and heading to Atlanta). From tehre...it's onto JNB & Capetown. Woohoo!

petlover

I didn't realize the SAA flight stopped to refuel. Where does it stop? Are passengers allowed to deplane, walk round, have a cigarette etc. How long are you on the ground?

sandi

All SAA flights returning from JNB or CPT stop at Cape Verde Islands (maybe Senegal... they change this sometimes). On outbound flights from JFK or ATL, flights on one day of the week (believe it's Tuesday) stop at Cape Verde (or Senegal). The stop outbound arrives at the stop at about 3 or 4am, very dark, can't see much of anything, no place to go, no getting off the plane. The same on the returning flight - nighttime, no deplaning. But they do open the doors for deplaning/boarding passengers and for air to circulate through the cabin. You're on the ground for 1-hr. max, then on your way.

ArthurSA

Its many years since I flew SAA to/from the States, so I probably shouldn't comment. (I've been many times more recently, but always via UK or Europe.) So regard this as "nostalgia only", not informed comment.

Then, the flight to Jhb (from JFK) was direct. As I recall it was only the flight into JFK that had to refuel. That probably also has something to do with prevailing headwinds, but my understanding was also that it was FAA regs about the duration of the flight/fuel load. But of course ATL is even further.

In those days we were allowed to disembark and walk around the terminal at Ile de Sol, including the small "duty free". I think there was a small coffee bar with sandwiches and maybe alcohol as well, if there was I never had a reason to buy anything, when it was free on the plane.

I don't understand why that's not permitted now, it's presumably the general tightening of security. Although in the days when we used to be allowed to disembark I think you had to decide at the outset and if you wanted to stay on the plane and you couldn't change your mind later. I think we even got issued with some kind of boarding card to make it all "official". Literally a card. A piece of cardboard, like a "pass-out".

sandi

Further to my post above, since we left two months after 9/11 and SAA had changed their schedules (as did many other airlines), we were originally scheduled to fly on Wednesday as a non-stop from JFK to JNB. With SAA cancelling some of their flights and filling up the only 4-flights per week (vs 7 flights prior 9/11), our flight was full, and we flew the Tuesday schedule which included the stop at Isle de Sol, Cape Verde. We were given a re-boarding pass which we assumed would allow for deplaning at Isle de Sol. But it didn't work that way. Except for passengers ending their trip here, other passengers weren't allowed off the plane. And as mentioned, being early morning and dark, nothing was open in the terminal except for the customs and immigrations areas.

retiredatlast

I flew SAA from Atlanta/Johbg and Capetown/Johbg/Atlanta in 2002. From Atlanta to Johbg was nonstop (tailwinds). When we flew back from Capetown, we stopped in Johbg for an hour for food and passengers. Then in the middle of the night we stopped at Cape Verde (Sal Island) for an hour for refueling and exchange of passengers. At that time we had to pick up and take down any bags, etc., we had with us and hold them on our laps. Someone walked through and checked. If any bags had been left on the floor or overhead (i.e. unattended bags) we would probably have had to get off and take all our stuff with us while they checked further. Apparently there were no unattended bags, because we stayed in our seats and then took off when our scheduled time there was up. I was sound asleep when we stopped, so getting off wasn't something I wanted to do. Didn't look like there was anything there to get off for anyway. Don't remember what day of the week we flew, but on the way over we did not stop at Cape Verde.