I was spending one month holiday in CPT last summer and I also wanted to go for a short break to JNB. As usual I wanted to fly with a new airline, FlySafair, which also offer the option to fly to HLA, JNB´s second airport which would also be a first for me. This route is quite well served by two legacy airlines, SouthAfricanAirways and Comair (which only fly to JNB), and 3 low cost airlines, FlySafair, Mango and Kulula (flying to both JNB & HLA). Price was very reasonable at 50 Euros one way.
Check-in:
I checked in online and as I did not have any luggage to check-in I did not go to the counters, which were nearly empty at this time of the day. Self service kiosks were also available.
Boarding pass:
Check-in counters:
The Lounge:
I visited the Bidvest Premier Lounge at the domestic terminal. It was a nice lounge with views to the apron, 2 floors and a nice selection of drinks and snacks. It was very quiet this Sunday morning…. Views from the lounge:
Boarding Area:
Finally it was time to leave the lounge and head to the gate.
This morning´s departures: Johannesburg´s both airports, JNB & HLA monopolize today´s departures.
The gate: It´s seems we´re having an on time departure today :) 2 FlySafair aircraft arrive at the same time, one 738 with full livery and an ¨albino¨ 734. The ¨albino¨ will fly me to HLA today.
Boarding:
Boarding started on time, passengers who bought the priority boarding and those needed assistance will board first, and then all remaining passengers were asked to board the aircraft at the same time regardless of the seat row they were sitting in. At the end of the jetbridge there was gate agent asking all passengers seating after row 15 to go down to the platform and walk all the way to rear of the aircraft. I was seating in row 3, so I missed the action… I boarded quite late so I was unable to take a picture of the seats, althought they were quite dated, like the whole aircraft.
Onboard:
Next to me there was a lady with a baby, although I boarded late, I am pretty sure she wasn´t given a safety belt and a life jacket for the baby. I know aviation regulation vary in every country but I thought that those items were not optional!!! Could it be that crew forgot about it or maybe they are not required by South African CAA? Our neighbours in CPT Seat pitch: average low cost pitch Ryanair style safety cards On board magazine and sickness bag. Anyone wants to buy a sofa? Really boring magazine… BoB offering, I didn´t buy anything, as I had already eaten breakfast at the lounge. Ready to take off….. Bye bye CPT, see you in a couple of days! 30000ft above SouthAfrica Approaching HLA
Arrival:
Flight was uneventful, and once we landed crew asked passengers over the PA to cross the safety belts in order to make an on time departure for next flight. This was also a first for me, I have never heard this on an airline before and I am pretty sure that most passengers didn´t even understand what they were being asked to do :) The ¨albino¨ at its home base.
Lanseria is a nice small airport in the north of the city catering mainly to passengers living in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg and Pretoria. It only handles domestic flights, mostly to CPT from all 3 low cost airlines in South Africa, FlySafair, Kulula and Mango. The only downturn was that the airport announces on its webpage a shuttle service to Sandton with departures in accordance to the flight arrivals, but this was not like this at all, you should prebook the shuttle, or otherwise face a long wait.
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Verdict
FlySafair
5.8/10
Cabin6.0
Cabin crew7.0
Entertainment/wifi5.0
Buy-on-board menu5.0
Bidwest Premier Lounge
7.0/10
Comfort8.0
Meal/catering7.5
Entertainment/wifi5.0
Services7.5
Cape Town - CPT
8.0/10
Efficiency8.0
Access8.0
Services8.0
Cleanliness8.0
Johannesburg - HLA
7.5/10
Efficiency9.0
Access5.0
Services8.0
Cleanliness8.0
Conclusion
Nice new airline with a good product, though with an old aircraft which wasn´t even painted. I am sure the experience is much better on their 738s. Awkard procedures such as the crew asking passengers to cross the safety belts before disembarking, but I guess aviation is in constant evolution, what will be next?
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Thank you for a second FR on FlySafair. Its interesting that they had RyanAir - esque safety card. On my flight FA121 GRJ-CPT ( flight report here : http://flight-report.com/en/report/13026/Safair_FA121_George_GRJ_Cape_Town_CPT) There was normal safety card. That was also on 737-400. Weird...
Strange that they have different safety cards on the same aircraft, especially because they do not have that many :) I am still trying to figure out whether I prefer the old style safety cards or the ones embedded on the trays...this way the airlines will avoid passengers taken them as a souvenir.....
Thanks! It was a great day for flying with beautiful clear skies... HLA is probably not very well known because basically there is no public transport to the airport and there are only domestic flights.
It's been a few years since I flew from CPT to JNB - at the time the choices were SAA, Mango, 1time, Kulula and BA. I didn't know about this new airline so thanks for the write up. The BidVest lounge is great.
Yeah, we could say that now flysafair has taken over 1time in the list :) I agree Bidvest lounge is really good, I normally think that airline lounges are the best, but IMO the Bidvest lounge is one of the exceptions to the rule....
Thank you for this nice wee report that gives a good insight of the new kid on the block! As fares were the cheapest, I was very tempted to try them out earlier this year but, unlike the rivals, they don't have too many flights spread out during the day. BoB prices are similar to MN. How did you fly back to CPT?
Hi East African, Thanks for your comments. You are right they do not have so many flights as their competitors, but I was lucky to find one that suited me fine. On the way back I flew BA out of JNB with one of their brand new 738....
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8 Comments
I am still trying to figure out whether I prefer the old style safety cards or the ones embedded on the trays...this way the airlines will avoid passengers taken them as a souvenir.....
I didn't know there was a second airport in JNB.
Typical ULCC flight, but nice views after take off from CPT.
It was a great day for flying with beautiful clear skies...
HLA is probably not very well known because basically there is no public transport to the airport and there are only domestic flights.
The BidVest lounge is great.
I agree Bidvest lounge is really good, I normally think that airline lounges are the best, but IMO the Bidvest lounge is one of the exceptions to the rule....
Thank you for this nice wee report that gives a good insight of the new kid on the block!
As fares were the cheapest, I was very tempted to try them out earlier this year but, unlike the rivals, they don't have too many flights spread out during the day. BoB prices are similar to MN.
How did you fly back to CPT?
Thanks for your comments.
You are right they do not have so many flights as their competitors, but I was lucky to find one that suited me fine.
On the way back I flew BA out of JNB with one of their brand new 738....
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