How long has South African Airways been flying between India and South America and which are the routes that you fly and what is the frequency on these routes?
South African Airways (SAA) has always had operations to South America from India. SAA operates four flights a week from Mumbai to Johannesburg. SAA started operating three flights a week from Johannesburg to Buenos Aires on 08 April 2009, providing the shortest travel time between India and Argentina.

The flying time from Mumbai to Buenos Aires is 22 hours and 30 minutes. South African Airways also has the advantage of transiting through Johannesburg which is at the midway point (transit time to Buenos Aires is 1 hour and 45 minutes). This makes the traveller's journey well balanced as one does not have to be seated in the aircraft for more than 10 hours at a stretch.

South African Airways has excellent interline agreements with the domestic carriers within South America thus taking the customers to the end destination through the interline partners from our South American gateways – Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires. The interline agreement gives the convenience to customers to make use of the thoroughfare of SAA and book and issue their tickets on SAA documents all the way. The special interline agreement allows SAA to use the special fares provided to it by its South American interline partners to most destinations within South America. We have also made available the South American Pass with some special fares for travel within South America, which is only available if travelled with SAA.

What is the equipment used by South African Airways on the Mumbai-Johannesburg sector and onwards between Johannesburg and Sao Paulo/Buenos Aires?
SAA has a young fleet of state-of-the-art Airbus 340 family. It uses Airbus 340-200 and Airbus 340-300 on the Mumbai – Johannesburg - Sao Paulo/Buenos Aires route. The aircraft are very well maintained and have one of the best flight safety track records. SAA has undergone, with great success, its IATA (International Air Transport Association) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), proving once again that the airline complies with the world's most stringent safety standards. When boarding an SAA aircraft, passengers can rest assured that they have chosen an airline that does not compromise on safety in any form.

Can a leisure traveller take an open-jaw option of flying into Sao Paulo and fly out of Buenos Aires or vice versa?
This is the best value-for-money offer to leisure travellers by SAA as it allows passengers to arrive at Sao Paulo and depart from Buenos Aires or vice versa, thus saving more than USD 800 per person for the South America package, as compared to other airlines. The leisure traveller has the advantage and the flexibility of taking open-jaw which is offered by SAA plus the advantage of having a common rated fare for both places.

What are the Business Class amenities offered on flight and en route to/from South America?
Business Class on SAA allows you to relax on one of the best Business Class seats in the world with a 73 inch seat pitch, 2 x 2 x 2 seat configuration, articulating arm rest offering more space and 24 inch wide bed, which is one of the widest in the industry. SAA's service in Business Class offers an ultra-modern shell with privacy screen, lumbar massage, large 1-piece tray table and individual cocktail tables, three automatic settings of upright cradle and bed with variable settings for the leg rest, seat height, lumbar support and back rest. These seats always receive high accolades for being comfortable both as seats and beds. When Skytrax evaluated airlines for the 'Sleep Rating' of all lie-flat seating products, SAA was one of the airlines that rated as 5-star on its long haul international product.

The service-on-demand menu consists of 2 light choices (a salad and/or a starter), 4 hot selections, 1 dessert and a cheese platter. There is a selection of top South African wines, boutique French Champagnes and a variety of hot and cold beverages. While designing the menus, a South African theme features strongly. Menus are changed every three months. A special Amenity Kit packed with toiletries allows passengers to refresh during the flight. Large pillows and snug duvets ensure a comfortable night's rest. SAA also offers special Ground Services for its Business Class passengers. These include separate check-in counters, priority on seat selection, invitation to board the aircraft after all Economy Class passengers are settled, special baggage tags and separate baggage loading.

What is the percentage of leisure travel on the South America - India route and how do you see this growing in the coming year especially as in 2010 South Africa is hosting the FIFA World Cup?
After having thoroughly explored most South East Asian countries, the leisure traveller looks towards South Africa and South America to give them the exotic and lifestyle experience.

South Africa is one of the most favourite destinations for Bollywood shoots. With high sporting events taking place in South Africa like IPL, Confederations Cup, ICC Champions Trophy and now FIFA 2010, South Africa has become the most sought after international long haul destination for Indian travellers. With SAA offering passengers a free stop-over in South Africa while having a holiday in South America, there could be no better choice for travellers looking for a lifetime experience. SAA took major initiatives to promote South America by taking part in the Travel and Trade Show organized by BRITE/BITO along with many tour operators. This was followed by many educational trips for the tour operators for creating awareness. SAA has actively participated in the Argentina Awareness focus group and presentations organized by the Argentina's Consul General in Mumbai.

The biggest advantage for a passenger to travel from India to South America with SAA is that there is no Transit Visa required for transiting at Johannesburg. With the FIFA World Cup happening in South Africa in 2010, we have forecasted heavy traffic coming from all over the world. The Europeans and the South Americans are the biggest fans of football. The new generation in India and the Far East also are catching up with the football mania. A visitor to South America can definitely consider a stop-over in South Africa to watch FIFA World Cup 2010.

What has your personal experience been of whatever glimpses of South America you have seen and what has been the feedback of visitors from India to South America and more specifically Argentina as a destination?
The agents who have visited South America were spellbound with the variety of beauty. They have made Argentina a part of their regular itineraries. They also said the fastest mode to reach South America is to fly with SAA.

Argentina offers an incredible range of landscapes to discover. Argentina is a land of extremes; its hectic urban centres contrast with a staggeringly remote hinterland. The country can be simultaneously hot in one region and cold in another. It is Argentina's natural history that truly astounds. It is so topographically diverse that there is something for everyone.

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