South African Airways Premium Business Class South African Airways is the flat-out choice for flights between the U.S. and South Africa with discerning global travelers. Our Premium Business Class features a 180 degree fully lie-flat seat that is 78" long and 24" wide, and is fitted with a thick duvet and large pillow to allow for a good in-flight sleep. Premium Business Class customers enjoy on-demand audio and visual entertainment, gourmet meals and an award-winning wine cellar in the sky that features some of South Africa's finest vintages. South African Airways' Premium Business Class flat-beds are featured on our international fleet of Airbus A340 aircraft, including our flights from New York (JFK) and Washington, D.C. (Dulles) to Johannesburg. It is no wonder that South African Airways has been rated the, "Best Airline to Africa", based on comfort and quality by SkyTrax and leading travel publications such as Global Traveler, Business Traveler and Executive Travel magazines. For additional information on SAA's Premium Business Class service, visit www.flysaa.com.       South Africa Welcomes the World for Soccer Championship In less than 75 days, South Africa will welcome the world to the soccer championship that begins on June 11. For those dedicated soccer fans that still need to book their travel, South African Airways has seats available at affordable fares during the World Cup. SAA offers the most flights from the U.S. to South Africa and within South Africa to ensure that soccer fans have the most comfortable and convenient service to/from and between World Cup matches.   South Africa Passport Requirements As soccer fans begin to descend on South Africa for World Cup, it is a good time to remind you of the special passport requirements for non-South African passport holders traveling to South Africa. To ensure that your clients have a pleasant and uninterrupted travel experience, please be aware of the passport and visa requirements for travelers entering South Africa. All non-South African passport holders are required to have at least one, entirely blank (unstamped) visa page in their passport, each time entry is sought into South Africa. These pages are in addition to the Endorsement / Amendment pages that are found at the back of the passport. South African government regulations prohibit airlines from boarding passengers without the required blank visa page. South African Airways is required to enforce these visa requirements and unfortunately, customers not processing the proper documentation will be denied boarding at point of origin.   SAA Official Airline:  U.S. Men's National Soccer Team When the U.S. Men's Soccer Team travels to South Africa for the World Cup, they will be flying aboard South African Airways.  SAA has been honored in being named the, "Official Airline to South Africa" to carry the team to the soccer world championship.  The U.S. Men's Soccer Team chose to fly SAA to the Confederation's Cup tournament in 2009 and has, once again, selected South African Airways for the world championships in June 2010.  We look forward to flying the team to South Africa, as well as their many fans, as they compete in this summer's tournament.   Durban, South Africa:  New King Shaka International Airport On May 1, 2010, Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) will open the new King Shaka International Airport in Durban, which is located approximately 35 kilometers north of the Durban city center.  The brand new state-of-the-art airport will offer 72 departure check-in positions, loading bridges for convenient boarding and deplaning and will be capable of handling over 7 million passengers per year. All South African Airways, South African Airways Express and South African Airlink flights will arrive and depart from the new King Shaka International Airport beginning May 1, 2010.  The existing Durban International Airport will be decommissioned, although may be used for a temporary period during the Soccer World Cup for charter flights and private aircraft. Special Fares for INDABA 2010 As the proud national carrier of South Africa, South African Airways is, once again, offering special airfares for North American delegates attending Indaba in Durban, South Africa, May 7-12, 2010.  Indaba, which is hosted by South African Tourism, showcases the widest variety of Southern Africa's best tourism products and attracts international visitors and travel trade media from around the world.  Indaba provides a wonderful opportunity to meet with some of Southern Africa's top travel suppliers to learn how to better market and sell the unique products and destinations that are featured. SAA's special round-trip airfares for Indaba are just $599* for Economy Class or $4,999* for Premium Business Class from New York (JFK) or Washington, D.C. (Dulles) to Johannesburg or Durban.  Special add-on fares for domestic and regional flights on SAA for pre/post tours are being offered, starting at just $60* each way.  Travel must commence between May 1-7, 2010 and return travel must commence by May 22, 2010. For more information on SAA's Indaba 2010 airfares, please contact South African Airways' Reservations at 1-866-359-7227. *Subject to applicable taxes, fees and fuel surcharges.   For more information on SAA's Indaba 2010 airfares, please contact South African Airways’ Reservations at 1-866-359-7227. South African Airways Vacations Featured Package of the Month Spring in Style – Luxury 9-Day Vacation From $2,599* USD - including air South African Airways Vacations luxury, 9-day "Spring in Style" extraordinary safari package brings unprecedented savings, with 5-star stays at the world-famous Twelve Apostles in Cape Town and the spectacular Lion Sands River Lodge in the Sabi Sands Game Reserve adjacent to  Kruger National Park. This package includes Economy Class air transportation on South African Airways from New York or Washington, DC to Cape Town, hotel accommodations in Cape Town and accommodations at Lion Sands River Lodge and some meals.  In addition, meet and greet services by a South African Airways Vacations representative in South Africa and all transfers are included in this package. SAA Vacations is a division of South African Airways and utilizes the airline's extensive route network to create packages throughout South Africa, Botswana, Victoria Falls, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. South African Airways Vacations offers vacation options for all budgets. For more information call South African Airways Vacations at 1-888-722-4872 or visit www.flysaavacations.com. *Price is per person, based on double occupancy and includes fuel surcharges on air transportation. Air transportation taxes are additional. Pricing will vary for departures on other dates. Low add-on fares are available from over 100 cities throughout the U.S.     How to Contact South African Airways: South African Airways Reservations Tel: 1-800-722-9675 Fax: 1-954-769-5079 Email: saausa@flysaa.com Hours: 8:30AM – 8:00PM Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 4:00PM Saturday & Sunday South African Airways Vacations Tel: 1-888-722-4872 Fax: 1-888-546-6981 Email: info@flysaavacations.com Hours: 9:00AM – 8:00PM Monday – Thursday 9:00AM – 6:00PM Friday South African Airways Group Sales Tel: 1-800-722-4768 Fax: 1-954-769-5014 Email: groupsusa@flysaa.com Hours: 9:00AM - 5:00PM Monday - Friday South African Airways – North America 515 E. Las Olas Blvd, 16th Floor Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 South African Airways features the only nonstop service from New York and direct service from Washington, D.C. to South Africa. Our unrivalled network features connections to more than 20 destinations within South Africa, and more than 20 cities across the African continent. © 2010 South African Airways All Rights Reserved.

 

This Says It All

FIFA Soccer World Cup 2010 is only 68 days away as I am writing this blog, and can only wonder what South Africans are feeling. South Africans are very proud people and this pride will be on display as they welcome visitors to the beautiful country of South Africa. This picture says it all. Be on the look out for the spirit of soccer in South Africa as displayed by her citizens. South Africans celebrate in a very unique way that says we are South Africans and we are proud of it. As a soccer fan, you probably already know about the new craze that is sweeping across South Africa. Vuvuzela shall rule the world, at least while South Africa is still in contention to win the world cup. South Africans, when their minds are made up, cannot be stopped. It might be wise for you as a visitor to bring ear muffs not only to keep from the cold but to reduce the amount of beautiful noise that will sure be made by spectators that will blowing their Vuvuzelas to no end.

More Non-stop Flights To South Africa

Dulles International Airport will get one of the few nonstop flights from the U.S. to South Africa next month.

South African Airways will begin daily nonstop service from Dulles to Johannesburg starting Oct. 30.

At about 15 and a half hours, the trip is one of the longest nonstop international flights in the world. South African Airways already offers service to Johannesburg from New York.

Delta Airlines is scheduled to begin Atlanta to Johannesburg service in December.

Cape Town's Latest Attraction

While In South Africa, don't forget to visit one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Cape Town! Among the latest attractions, One & Only Resort stands out! One & Only Resort is luxurious and has a view of the majestic Table Mountain, no better place to be on earth!

Vuvuzela: SA football's beautiful noise

What's plastic, a metre long, brightly coloured and sounds like an elephant? It's the vuvuzela, the noise-making trumpet of South African football fans, and it's come to symbolise the sport in the country.
It's an instrument, but not always a musical one. Describing the atmosphere in a stadium packed with thousands of fans blowing their vuvuzelas is difficult. Up close it's an elephant, sure, but en masse the sound is more like a massive swarm of very angry bees.
And when there's action near the goal mouth, those bees go reallycrazy.
To get that sound out requires lip flexibility and lung strength - in short, a fair amount of technique. So be sure to get in some practice before attending a South African football match, or you the sound you produce may cause some amusement in the seats around you!
Vuvuzela supplier Boogieblast offers this advice: "Put your lips inside the mouthpiece and almost make a 'farting' sound. Relax your cheeks and let your lips vibrate inside the mouthpiece. As soon as you get that trumpeting sound, blow harder until you reach a ridiculously loud 'boogying blast'.

2010 FIFA World Cup™ stadiums on track and on schedule

Construction of South Africa's 2010 FIFA World Cup™ stadia is on track and progressing well, with the Organising Committee (OC) confident all deadlines will be met.

Ten stadia in nine World Cup host cities will be used for the tournament.

Five stadiums will be used for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup™, namely Johannesburg's Ellis Park Stadium, the Free State Stadium in the Free State, Rustenburg's Royal Bafokeng Stadium, Pretoria's Loftus Versfeld and Port Elizabeth's Port Elizabeth Stadium.

Of the five, four are already in place and currently being used for major international sporting events.

Ellis Park for instance played host to the 1995 IRB Rugby World Cup final between South Africa and New Zealand and is regarded as one of the world's top sporting venues.

Pretoria's Loftus stadium tomorrow hosts a rugby international between South Africa and England and is also a highly regarded venue.

SOUTH AFRICA

Live and Work in SOUTH AFRICA
South Africa has everything ...

• Sun, sparkling warm and clear oceans, and the most beautiful golden beaches you will ever see that stretch for miles.


• Excellent surfing, boating, river rafting and fishing


• Mountain climbing, biking and hiking


• The Garden Route, world famous and sheer paradise!


• Outstanding Game Reserves with wild animals in their natural habitat, and symmetric vineyards stretching to infinity


• Ostrich racing! A butterfly farm and the renowned Cango Caves


• Sharks, whales and dolphins, and the amusing Cape Fur Seals.


• Elegant restaurants (indoors and outdoors), barbecues and beach parties, alongside art galleries and museums
  And FRUIT everywhere!

Read More