South African Airways fine tuning Perth-Jo’burg ahead of restart

South African Airways is making its long-awaited return to Australia, with direct flights between Perth and Johannesburg resuming April 28. And a newly-adjusted schedule means they’ll be arriving into Jo’burg at a much more convenient time.

Rather than the 7:35pm arrival originally planned, flights will now see wheels down in Johannesburg at 4:45am, meaning travellers no longer have to find overnight accommodation and can instead continue their onward journey the same day. 

South African Airways says passengers already booked on the previous 2:40pm departure time from Perth will be accommodated on the flight on the same day. 

Tickets are now on sale for the 11-hour overnight flights, which will run three days a week and “for the launch phase” will rely on a long-range Airbus A340 jet with 38 lie-flat business class seats in a 2-2-2 layout, and 215 seats in economy.

• flight SA280 will depart Johannesburg at 8:55pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, arriving into Perth the following day at 12:20pm
• flight SA281 will be wheels up from Perth at 11:50pm every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, touching down in Jo’burg at 4:45am the following day

“Besides the global interconnectivity potential of this route, Perth has long been a favoured destination for South African and Australian travellers, with approximately 80% of our target market being visiting family and friends,” says airline CEO Professor John Lamola.

Business class flatbeds in a 2-2-2 layout on board SAA's Airbus A340.

“The recommencement of the route provides an easier and direct passage for both leisure and business travellers, promoting trade and cultural exchange between South Africa and Australia.”

Executive Traveller understands South African Airways also plans to restart flights to London and Frankfurt soon after as more newly-leased long-range jets arrive, alongside a possible Airbus A350.

SAA is dropping none-too-subtle hints about the restart of flights to Perth.

The airline also hopes to re-engage Perth-based members of its SAA Voyager frequent flyer program, especially as Voyager members can now earn Voyager Miles and Gold status through the HSBC Star Alliance Credit Card.

Prior to the departure of SAA’s Perth-Johanneseburg flights, business class passengers plus those holding Star Alliance Gold status will have access to the Air New Zealand or Singapore Airlines lounges, depending on the flight schedule.

Also read: Here’s your 2024 fast track to Star Alliance Gold status

Business class flatbeds in a 2-2-2 layout on board SAA's Airbus A340.

Qantas has long been jostling to add Perth-Jo’burg to its network, but managed only a short-lived service from November 2022 to March 2023 citing complications with “border security and biosecurity screening requirements” at a specially-built international wing of Perth Terminal 3, which has become the airline’s WA hub rather than the primary T1 international terminal.

(Indeed, in early 2018 the airline was planning Perth-Johannesburg flights four times a week on an Airbus A330 jet from November 2018, but the airport’s insistence in using T1 rather than T3 turned out to be a deal-breaker for Qantas management.)

However, with Perth-Paris flights taking off from T3 in July 2024 and indications of a rapprochement under new leadership at Qantas and Perth Airport, the red tail of Qantas could once again be making the 11 hour trek across the Indian Ocean.

Speaking at a panel discussion held at South x Southwest Sydney in late October, Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace noted the airline “always has five or six different city pairs under what we call ‘deep observation’ – looking at passenger flows (and) looking at yields.”

At the time of writing, Qantas has upgraded its Sydney-Johannesburg route from a Boeing 787 to an Airbus A380 from July 2024, although the flights will no longer run on a daily basis.