South African Airways began flying in 1934 and there are now SAA flights to 35 cities in 26 countries on six continents. In South Africa alone, the country’s national airline serves five cities and has 20 daily flights between Johannesburg and Cape Town. It is headquartered at the Tambo International Airport in Kempton Park, Gauteng.

The airline’s fleet is now up to 55 big aircraft, most of which are from Airbus except for a few Boeing 737 planes. South African Airways is known for its diverse and well integrated work force, and a full 77% of their leadership is black and 44% are female. The company employs a huge staff of around 800 pilots and 2,800 flight attendants ably supported by 3,600 technical staff and 12,000 employees worldwide.

South African Airways is the only carrier based in Africa which is a part of the Star Alliance. Membership in this global 28-member alliance provides huge benefits for passengers in South Africa and all over the world. The advantages include easy transfers, use of frequent flyer program status across airlines and access to the world’s largest airport lounge network.

Speaking of which, the frequent flyer program for loyal South African Airways customers is called Voyager. The benefits are tiered, with more and more advantages as the tier goes up from blue to gold and all the way up to Platinum Lifetime. Frequent flyers get everything from free use of private lounges to extra baggage allowances and bonus points.

As for the on-board experience, every passenger gets to be treated like royalty. In-flight entertainment is available in the form of audio and video systems on each seat for on-demand delivery. Long flights that last more than 3 hours get even more attention, with the latest hit movies, interactive games and TV shows available to make the journey flash by in the wink of an eye.

There will be a food menu provided to everyone on-board. Passengers get to taste an array of cuisines from all over the world, and are provided with a wide choice of starters, a main course and sweet desserts. South Africa’s finest wines are provided for washing down all the fine food and making the journey even more comfortable. It is even possible to indulge in some duty free shopping with an onboard shopping catalog.

In fact, passengers can even do some online shopping with the help of a catalog. Travel to, from and in Africa is not such a hassle any more. This is amply demonstrated once a passenger enters into South African Airways territory. From boarding airport to the destination terminal, there is no better experience in the world than SAA flights.

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