South African Airways Strengthens Partnership With JetBlue Airways By Announcing Code Share Agreement

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- South African Airways (SAA) and New York's hometown airline, JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU), have announced an expansion of their interline partnership, with South African Airways now offering code share services on JetBlue flights effective March 3rd.  The code share service will be available with SAA flight numbers on JetBlue flights to 20 cities served by the airline in the U.S., connecting through either New York's John F. Kennedy International (JFK) or Washington, D.C. (Dulles) airports and SAA's Johannesburg hub, where passengers can access connections to more than 45 cities throughout South Africa and Southern Africa.  South African Airways code share flights operated by JetBlue must be booked by calling the South African Airways Customer Call Center at 1-800-722-9675, visiting www.flysaa.com, or your travel agent.

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The benefits go beyond the obvious synergies the two award-winning airlines share, with free meals or snacks, beverages and entertainment on board flights.  Travelers, whether in Southern Africa or the U.S., can now book their South African Airways flight between 20 cities served by JetBlue in the U.S., with the ability to check bags through for their entire journey.  

"Customer response to the interline service between South African Airways and JetBlue has been overwhelmingly positive on both sides of the Atlantic.  They appreciate the ease with which they can connect between these two award-winning airlines," said Marc Cavaliere, executive vice president, North America, for South African Airways.  "This code share agreement simply builds on an already popular program, and further enhances the service offering for customers wishing to travel between the U.S. and Southern Africa."

South African Airways also announced recently that its return service from Johannesburg to New York JFK will now operate non stop beginning May 1st.  The new timing for the flight means more time on the ground for travelers in Southern Africa, less time in the air, an earlier arrival time in New York, and more time to enjoy the Big Apple or to access many more early morning connection opportunities on JetBlue and a number of other airlines.  The combination of SAA's non-stop return service and JetBlue's extensive flight network in New York makes an already great travel experience even better and twice as convenient. Travelers in cities such as Boston, Ft. Lauderdale or Orlando can book their morning JetBlue flights to JFK and quickly connect to SAA's non-stop flight to Johannesburg, and will enjoy return non-stop service that will quickly connect back to these cities.  These are just a few examples of the seamless connection opportunities offered between the two airlines.

SAA and JetBlue Code Share Service Available Between the Following Cities and Johannesburg, South Africa:

Code share service will be offered with South African Airways flight numbers and must be booked through South African Airways by calling 1-800-722-9675, visiting www.flysaa.com or calling your travel agent.

South African Airways features daily nonstop service from the U.S. to South Africa with morning departures from New York JFK and afternoon direct service from Washington Dulles (with a stop in Dakar, Senegal) that offer travel convenience and award-winning service. Travelers in Premium Business Class enjoy 180 degree fully flat-bed seats, and in Economy Class enjoy the most legroom versus competitors.  Every seat on board offers an individual on-demand entertainment system, plush pillow, warm blanket and amenity kit.  SAA's unrivaled network, featuring seamless connections to nearly 20 destinations within South Africa, and more than 25 cities across the rest of the continent, makes the airline the savvy traveler's "gateway to Africa."  To complement this network, a world of privileges awaits those who join Voyager, South African Airways' premier mileage program.  To sign up, visit www.flysaa.com, and link to the Voyager icon. For more information on South African Airways, please call (800) 722-9675 or visit www.flysaa.com, where travelers can sign up to be notified of other great travel deals and vacation packages.  For information about South Africa, visit www.southafrica.net.

SOURCE South African Airways