SA Flights and Travel

Air Zimbabwe suspends flights to SA
http://www.fin24.com/Companies/TravelAndLeisure/Air-Zimbabwe-suspends-flights-to-SA-20111216

Harare - Zimbabwe’s state-owned airline has suspended flights to neighbouring South Africa over fears its planes could be seized for outstanding debts, a senior airline official told state media.

Air Zimbabwe acting chief executive Innocent Mavhunga said the corporation, which is struggling to pay off debts of over $140m, had decided to temporarily stop its daily flights to Johannesburg to avoid creditors there.

“We are not flying into South Africa. We are trying to secure funding to pay our debts in South Africa,” he was reported as saying.

President Zuma greets new jet in Cape Town - e-Travel Blackboard (press release)
http://www.etravelblackboard.com/article/114800/president-zuma-greets-new-jet-in-cape-town

South African Airways (SAA) welcomed the delivery of its first A330-200 aircraft at a ceremony attended by South African President Jacob Zuma. Also present at the ceremony, held earlier this week at Cape Town International Airport, were airline board members, management and staff, as well as hosts, SAA chairwoman Cheryl Carolus and SAA chief executive Siza Mzimela. The aircraft will commence its commercial operations on 14 February under the moniker “Charlotte Maxeke”, named by President Zuma in honour of the first African woman to graduate in South Africa.
Born in 1874, Ms Maxeke received a Bachelor of Science degree from Wilberforce University in Cleveland, Ohio.

It's hard not to get goose bumps watching this magnificent approach to Los Angeles International Airport as the sun sets and the city is illuminated below. (The pumping music, "Los Angeles" by Sugarcult, adds to the ambiance.)
You'll see Malibu, the Pacific Coast Highway and the tangle of streets that make up downtown L.A. along the way. Cars zipping down the city's busy interstates look like blood pulsing through a creature's arteries as the plane turns and maneuvers toward the airport.
The video reveals another detail that pilots see all the time, but passengers never do: City lights reflecting from the nose of the plane.

We've heard about in-flight WiFi for some time now, but at least we now have a launch date. I have been using WirelessG for some time now to access the internet at the airports and other hotspots, and soon we will be able to continue our internet usage during flights. It would be great to keep up with news, emails, etc. during those 2 hour flights. 

In-flight WiFi on its way
http://lifestyle.iafrica.com/articles/704598.html

WirelessG, a local internet company, will soon begin installing wireless internet on South African domestic passenger planes.

Passengers flying between Cape Town and Johannesburg will be able to access wireless internet through a service called Fli G-Connect from April 2011.

WirelessG CEO Carel van der Merwe said local airline Mango would be the first to have the technology installed in its planes, but noted that his company is currently in talks with other airlines as well to roll out the service to as many operators as possible.

To access wi-fi while on a flight, South African passengers will need to open a G-Connect account through the WirelessG website – this does not cost anything. Once signed up, users need to buy a WirelessG voucher to secure time online. The concept is much like buying airtime for a prepaid mobile phone.

Van der Merwe said passengers will soon be able to get onto a plane, switch on their laptop, smartphone or tablet, enable their wi-fi, and then pick up a signal. “You then put in your G-Connect account credentials, or you purchase a voucher, and Bob’s your uncle, you are on the internet.”

Kulula passengers can now print boarding passes at home
http://www.travelwires.com/wp/2011/02/kulula-passengers-print-boarding/

Waiting in long queues? So 2010. Thanks to kulula’s new online check-in service, the gateway to a hassle-free holiday is just a click of a mouse away.

The low-fare airline’s convenient new offering allows travellers to print boarding passes in the comfort of their own home or office.

I'd like to give this a try next time, the worst part of flying for me is standing in all the queues. 

SAA launches non-stop service between Joburg and NY
http://www.moneyweb.co.za/mw/view/mw/en/page295023?oid=526366&sn=2009+Detail

“Effective 01 May 2011, we will offer our customers the convenience of flying non-stop between Johannesburg and New York. Our non-stop flights to New York will allow a full day in Johannesburg with an early morning arrival in New York. Further, the reduced travel time result in fast and efficient connections to several key US destinations such as Boston, Chicago, Florida, California, as well as Canada and the Caribbean.” says Theunis Potgieter, SAA’s General Manager: Commercial.

The non-stop flight from Johannesburg to New York (SA203) will depart OR Tambo International Airport daily at 20h35 (SA local time) arriving John F. Kennedy International Airport at 06h40 (New York local time), whilst the non-stop flights from New York (SA204) will depart daily at 11h15 arriving in OR Tambo International Airport at 08h40.

SAA currently is finalizing all outstanding operational details for the northbound non-stop flight on the Johannesburg to New York route.

SAA seems to be updating their flights on a regular basis now. They removed the Cape Town - Durban route just a couple of weeks ago, and now they seem to be expanding on some of their international flights. The flight times seem very pleasant, so I trust this will be a great success for SAA. 

Cape Town rated second best beach city in world
http://www.iolproperty.co.za/roller/news/entry/cape_town_rated_second_best

Good-looking, fun-loving, sporty and sociable. That’s Cape Town in a nutshell, according to a leading travel guide.

Lonely Planet yesterday named Cape Town the second best beach city in the world, while TripAdvisor toasted the city’s accommodation providers in its 2011 Traveller’s Choice Awards.

Cape Town’s impressive coastline pushed it above Rio De Janeiro. Also featured were locations from Australia to the US. The top gong went to Barcelona.

It is always great to hear good things about our lovely country, but #2 beach city in the world surely is impressive. If you don't live in (or close to) Cape Town it might be a good idea to travel within your own country and experience it for yourself. "Millions" of voters can't be wrong now, can they? 

Congratulations to all the establishments that made the top 10 lists for service, this is also a great achievement.