First Airbus A350 Spotted In South African Airways Colors

[Gaz{M}]

a 340-600 is leased at $450,000 to $500,000 per month (R8 million per month)
a 350-900 is leased at $920,000 to $1,135,000 per month (R18.1 million per month)

The new aircraft will cut the airline’s fuel expenditure by about 20%, in comparison to the A340s.

So they need to save at least R10 million per month on fuel to break even.

The A340-600 seats 275 economy plus 46 business passengers, while the A350-900 seats 246 economy and roughly 40 business passengers

 

[poffle]

Flown on SIA A350 a few times, love that plane. Quiet, smooth and comfy (well as comfy as economy can be). Premium economy is also great, now to just save up $7k to fly business hahah (ya right)

 

[Ockie]

She has arrived at Joburg International

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1189934118991208449

She has 339 seats. 3 More to join the fleet.

 

[Gaz{M}]

It's impossible for me to be impressed, proud or patriotic about this plane, as much as I like the A350.

This is like a broke, drunk father spending the kids medical aid and school fees money on a Porsche so his friends can get a lift to work.

 

[Moi]

"She has 339 seats."

Yoh Oks.

How do you know it's a she ?

Thx for keeping us up to date.

 

[Ockie]

"She has 339 seats."

Yoh Oks.

How do you know it's a she ?

Thx for keeping us up to date.

Because @Chuckmyster was waiting for it to land at the airport with a bottle of lube at the ready hoping to get his groove on with it.

If it was male …. it would have been me waiting, not him.

 

[sox63]

a 340-600 is leased at $450,000 to $500,000 per month (R8 million per month)
a 350-900 is leased at $920,000 to $1,135,000 per month (R18.1 million per month)

The new aircraft will cut the airline’s fuel expenditure by about 20%, in comparison to the A340s.

So they need to save at least R10 million per month on fuel to break even.

The A340-600 seats 275 economy plus 46 business passengers, while the A350-900 seats 246 economy and roughly 40 business passengers

Anyone have the jet fuel prices so that we can make a quick comparison?

 

[ForceFate]

a 340-600 is leased at $450,000 to $500,000 per month (R8 million per month)
a 350-900 is leased at $920,000 to $1,135,000 per month (R18.1 million per month)

The new aircraft will cut the airline’s fuel expenditure by about 20%, in comparison to the A340s.

So they need to save at least R10 million per month on fuel to break even.

The A340-600 seats 275 economy plus 46 business passengers, while the A350-900 seats 246 economy and roughly 40 business passengers

Thought they're replacing the A343s first?

 

[Moi]

Oks, Chuckee is useless at everything except maybe driving in the rain from Somerset West to Paardein Eiland.

In general:

Seriously, the A340 is the only aircraft to do JNB-JFK. The A350 is also, but more economical.

Spend some time on flightradar24 and see the typical African network SAA employs, to no avail.

 

[Ockie]

In general:

Seriously, the A340 is the only aircraft to do JNB-JFK. The A350 is also, but more economical.

Not sure I follow? You mean it is the only aircraft capable of flying JNB-JFK?

 

[Moi]

No bro.

The 787, 777 and of course the 747-I. That's it.

 

[Spizz]

Flown on SIA A350 a few times, love that plane. Quiet, smooth and comfy (well as comfy as economy can be). Premium economy is also great, now to just save up $7k to fly business hahah (ya right)

I've flown Finnair and SQ on an A350. I'm on the A350 SIN to CPT again in 3 weeks. Have seat 48k booked which is the legroom seat behind the front row at the exit. Cost R1300 extra but for 13 hours flight to CPT I reckon it's worth it.

 

[TysonRoux]

On a wing and a prayer, broke SAA gets first of four new planes

SAA has taken delivery of the first of four "new" Airbus A350-900s.

www.sowetanlive.co.za

 

[ɹǝuuᴉM]

If you're referring to safety, SAA have a fairly adequate safety record and capable operational staff.

Yeah sure, capable at drug trafficking

 

[ForceFate]

Yeah sure, capable at drug trafficking

You really want to go that way with regards to drug smuggling? Do a google search.

 

[koffiejunkie]

a 340-600 is leased at $450,000 to $500,000 per month (R8 million per month)
a 350-900 is leased at $920,000 to $1,135,000 per month (R18.1 million per month)

You got sauce for that?

Fuel economy is very complicated on aircraft, since it depends on a number of factors: take-off weight, wind, temperature, and, somewhat counterintuitively, take-off altitude, distance. The latter is because after at certain distance, some percentage of your fuel burn is soley to account for the weight of fuel you carry (at full capacity, that's 40% of the A350's max take-off weight).

Nevertheless, I think comparing the figures will give you a sense of the difference between the two aircraft:

A340-600 takes 155 metric tonne with a range of 15,000km
A350-900 takes 110 metric tonne with a range of 13,980km

Thought they're replacing the A343s first?

No, they're all going on the JFK route, replacing A346s. I don't know if the A346s will be repurposed - I've red rumours of using them on the HKG route, which is currently A343, but nothing confirmed.

Not sure I follow? You mean it is the only aircraft capable of flying JNB-JFK?

A343 has the range on paper, but it's likely that the altitude at JNB makes it impossible, or at the very least uneconomical to do. Some of the flights stop in Ghana (IIRC) though, so the A343 could conceivably be used there.