Introduction

South African Airways provides several flights between Johannesburg and Cape Town throughout the day.  Most short haul flights on South African Airways are on the A319, A320, and occasionally the A340.  If you are transiting through Johannesburg en route to Cape Town, it likely the flight will be on the A320.  For such a small cabin, South African Business Class on the A320 is an above average experience.

Lounge

Business class passengers have access to the business class lounge in the domestic terminal.  The lounge was spacious, well decorated, and had great views of the runway.  The seats were comfortable with plenty of power outlets.  Furthermore, the food selection had plenty of tasty options and beverages.

South African Airways Business

South Africa Airways Business Class Lounge

a model airplane on a stand

South African Airways Model Airplane in Lounge

Flight

South African Airways 367
Johannesburg (JNB) to Cape Town (CPT)
Cabin: Business
Seat:  1A and 1C
Aircraft: A320
Flight Time: 2h 9m
a black rectangular device with a map on it

Flight Map

Plane Atmosphere (4/5)

Business class cabin was in the 2-2 configuration with 24 business class seats.  This is a step up from many European business class carriers that configure their single aisle planes in a 3-3 configuration with the middle seat open.  So having an actual business class seat on a short haul flight is a plus if you are used to flying within Europe.

Air vents were available and the color scheme of the seats had a sophisticated appearance.  While not brand new, the plane had no signs of wear and tear.  There was plenty of overhead luggage space since there were only four people in the business class cabin.

South African Airways Business

South African Business Class Cabin A320

a screen on a wall

South African Business Class Cabin A320

Seat (4/5)

For a short haul flight on a single aisle plane, the seats were above average in comfort and style.  The seats were wide and had plenty of leg room.

Only downside was the was the lack of entertainment systems built into the seats.  Only a LCD screen was on the wall that indicated the location of the plane on the map.  On the plus side, there was USB and universal power ports built into the seats for charging devices.

South African Airways Business

South African Airways Business Class Seat on A320

a row of seats in an airplane

South African Airways Business Class Seat on A320

a close up of a seat

Armrest between seats

a power outlet with green lights

USB and Universal Power Outlets

Food (4/5)

Surprisingly, the food was delicious and plentiful for only being a two hour flight.  After chowing down in the lounge before the flight, I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to finish the ginormous chicken breast served on the plane.

South African Airways Business

Food on South African Business Class A320

Service (5/5)

Service staff was friendly, attentive, and expedient when serving passengers.  Staff assisted passengers while boarding to ensure the boarding processed moved along quickly.

a glass of water with a lemon on a table

Welcome Drink

Conclusion

In conclusion, South African Airways operates several A319 and A320 single aisle planes for their short haul flights.  Compared to European carriers, South African Airways provides above average seats and food for their short haul flights, which was a welcomed surprise.

 

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