Business class on rare, ageing plane still (mostly) delivers

The airline: South African Airways (SAA)

• Route Perth to Johannesburg, SA281
• Frequency Five times a week
• Aircraft Airbus A340-300
• Class Business, seat 1A (window)
• Flight time 11 hours, 15 minutes (on time)

Checking in

I’ve flown to Perth from Sydney with Virgin Australia, SAA’s codeshare partner on east coast connections. The international terminal is a short walk from the domestic terminal, along an outdoor walkway. The layover in Perth is two hours, 20 minutes, and check-in isn’t busy yet – I’m first in line at the priority check-in desk. Business class passengers can use the airport’s Air New Zealand lounge.

Baggage

In business class, two checked pieces weighing 32 kilograms each and two carry-on items up to eight kilograms each.

Loyalty scheme

SAA Voyager, part of the Star Alliance network. Members of Virgin Australia’s Velocity program can also earn points with SAA.

The seat

1A in a 2-2-2-configured cabin. The seat beside me is empty, but the pull-out screen would offer some privacy if necessary. The cabin of this older plane isn’t as plush as those on glossier carriers; however the absence of cubicle-style structures frees up so much space it’s positively commodious. The seat has a pitch of 72 inches (185 centimetres) and width of 23 inches (60 centimetres). A small storage space is tucked beneath the armrest and there’s a pocket on the bulkhead; non-bulkhead rows have shoe-storage cubbies on the seats in front of them. My backpack-tormented back is soothed by the lumbar massage function. Seats recline fully flat, and the padded seat cover, pillows and duvet transform them into comfortable beds. Note that if you’re in a window seat with a neighbour beside you, you’ll need to step over their flatbed when getting up.

Entertainment + tech

Each seat has a power port, USB plug and noise-cancelling headphones. The swing-out TV screen emits retro vibes with its somewhat faded entertainment selection; better to access comprehensive, up-to-date content on the Airscape app, downloadable onto your personal device using the barcode supplied on the plane (see flysaa.ifdhub.com/home). I whet my appetite for the forthcoming journey by flipping through the in-flight magazine, Sawubona, which SAA has also sent me in digital format on WhatsApp.

Service

This is where SAA really takes off. Such genuine warmth and tactility is uncommon on other carriers, and I delight in the languages smattering flight attendants’ conversations: English, Afrikaans, isiZulu and Sotho. Methode Cap Classique (sparkling wine) is served with peanuts once I’m boarded; biltong is offered as a boarding snack on the return leg (make sure to eat it all – travellers are prohibited from bringing the cured meat into Australia).

Food

The menu is crafted by celebrity chef and restaurateur Reuben Riffel and Benny Masekwameng, a judge on MasterChef South Africa and Ultimate Braai Master. I have crab, mushroom and polenta canapes followed by a rich tomato and capsicum soup, juicy barramundi served on a bed of spicy noodles and a tub of Bulla vanilla ice-cream (dishes are more authentically South African on the return leg – seafood curry, lamb with creamy pap). Excellent South African wines accompany the meal; Amarula liqueur makes the perfect nightcap.

Sustainability

Passengers who offset carbon emissions with online bookings help support Ghana’s Gyapa stoves project, which reduces pollution and deforestation.*

One more thing

The tomato-red, canvas-style amenities bag is a keepsake filled with Aigner products. At OR Tambo Airport, in Johannesburg, staff place priority luggage on a red welcome mat. On the return flight, passengers can make use of the airport’s new SAA’s premium lounge.

The price

From about $7100 return from Perth and about $7150 return from Sydney. **

The verdict

The flight scores top marks for hospitality. The ageing plane (and increasingly rare, as they were last made in 2012) notwithstanding, this flight delivers the luxuries of space and comfort. The overnight schedule allows passengers to more easily adjust to the new time zone; a breather in sunny Perth hastens the process.

Our rating out of five

★★★½

*For more information about air travel and sustainability, see iata.org.

**Fares are based on those available for travel three months from the time of publication and subject to change.

The writer travelled as a guest of South African Airways. See flysaa.com

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