Airline partners
We prefer to use the larger international carriers, with direct flights to our destinations, as well as the national airlines of the countries we visit.
Fuller information about these airlines is available on their websites – see web address after each entry.
Air France offers more flights from Europe to the Indian Ocean than any other carrier with connections available from 9 UK airports through their hubs in Paris (Charles du Gaulle and Orly). Each week Air France offer 9 flights from Paris Orly to Reunion, 5 flights from Paris Charles du Gaulle to Antananarivo, 5 flights to the Seychelles (operated by Air Seychelles) and 10 flights a week to Mauritius in conjunction with Air Mauritius. Combinations with South Africa are also possible thanks to their twice daily flight to Johannesburg. Clients looking to include Cape Town in their trip can do so thanks to Air France’s partnership with KLM.
All long haul flights offer an economy (tempo) and business class (l’espace d’affaires) product. A new economy class offering is being rolled out across the fleet with seat-back TVs with up to 85 films on demand and a 32” seat pitch. Business class offers seats with a 61” seat pitch which converts into a 2m angled bed.
Air France is a founding member of Skyteam.
www.airfrance.co.uk
Air Madagascar flies four times a week from Paris and a once a week from Marseilles to Antananarivo where it connects with domestic destinations throughout Madagascar. In addition, it has regional flights to destinations such as Reunion, Mauritius and Johannesburg.
The airlines uses Boeing 767-300s on its European routes, configured into business and economy class cabins.
Comfortable business class seats recline to 165°, with extendable foot-rests, have a 60”pitch and are configured 2:2:2. Every seat is fitted with an individual DVD player.
Economy class is configured 2:3:2 with a seat pitch of 30”and has central video screens.
www.airmadagascar.mg
Air Mauritius flies up to five times a week from London Heathrow Terminal 3 direct to Mauritius. Outbound flights are overnight, return flights are mostly daytime. There are frequent onward connections to Reunion and Madagascar.
The airline uses the Airbus A340-300, configured into business and economy class cabins.
Business class has 34 seats, in a 2:2:2 configuration with 60” seat pitch and convert to a lie-flat bed. There are lounges at Heathrow and Mauritius for business class passengers.
Economy class has 264 seats with 31” seat pitch in a 2:4:2 configuration. All have seat-back video screens with on-demand audio-visual.
www.airmauritius.com
Air Namibia flies to Windhoek from Gatwick North Terminal twice weekly. The overnight flights depart Wednesday and Friday and arrive in Gatwick on the same days in the early morning.
The planes are Airbus A340-300s with business and economy cabins. Economy has a 31” seat pitch and 2:4:2 seating. Business class seats, which are reasonably priced, offer a seat pitch of 60” in a 2:2:2 configuration.
Air Namibia has good, inexpensive onward connections to Cape Town and Johannesburg. They also offer a convenient service from Windhoek to Maun and Victoria Falls several times a week.
www.airnamibia.com
Air Seychelles offers a twice-weekly overnight service on Friday and Sunday from London Heathrow direct to Mahe, and five times a week from Paris with connections available from the UK with Air France or British Airways. These flights connect to Praslin and other islands in the Seychelles as well as to Mauritius. Air Seychelles also operates a service between Seychelles and Johannesburg.
Flights are in Boeing 767-300s configured in Pearl (business) and economy class cabins. Pearl Class is good value and offers passengers ample space and comfort. Seats have a 57” pitch in a 2:2:2 configuration and recline 138°, with a leg-rest and personal video screen. Economy is configured 2:3:2 with a 32” pitch and foot-rests and there are central video screens.
www.airseychelles.net
British Airways has the most extensive network of flights to our destinations, flying twice daily (increasing to 19 times a week from May 2009) from London Heathrow to Johannesburg, daily to Cape Town (twice daily in peak season) and Nairobi and several times a week to Lusaka, Dar-es-Salaam, Mauritius and Entebbe. There are connecting flights from regional UK airports and a partnership flight network within southern Africa which facilitates easy transfers. All you have to do is choose is which cabin to fly in.
Ergonomically designed seats offer lumbar support, footrest, adjustable headrest and adjustable ‘ears’ to support your head. Seat pitch is 31”. Blankets, cushions, eyeshades, socks, toothbrush and toothpaste are also provided. Seat-back video screen with 12 channels including special children’s channels Audio-visual on demand is being rolled out across the fleet. Choice of food designed by leading chefs, as well as complimentary bar service available throughout your flight.
This is an affordable alternative to business class, providing greater comfort. There is a separate quiet cabin at the front of economy with a maximum of five rows of larger seats which have 7”more legroom and a wider seat than World Traveller. Seats have adjustable headrest, legrest, footrest and lumbar support, plus seat-back screens and a wide selection of entertainment. There is a choice of food options, and complimentary bar service throughout the flight.
The armchair style seat and footstool converts into a 6ft fully flat bed at the touch of a button, with retractable privacy screens between seats. There is a four-course meal with menus created by renowned international chefs, and a complimentary bar service offering the finest wines and champagnes. At airports you have access to lounges with complimentary refreshments.
At Heathrow and Johannesburg, Club World and FIRST passengers have access to an arrivals lounge offering breakfast and showers.
Your personal demi-cabin space creates an exclusive, private environment. An enhanced seat converts to a 6’6” fully flat bed at the touch of a button. Large duvet and pillow, plus sleeper suit on overnight journeys. A fold-down companion seat, allows you to dine or chat with a fellow First passenger. A la carte dining with menus created by internationally acclaimed chefs, and complimentary bar service featuring the finest wines and champagnes. A personal video player comes with a choice of 25 movies from the onboard library, plus 18 channels of TV, music and entertainment. You have access to departure and arrival lounges, including dedicated FIRST lounges at London Heathrow and Johannesburg.
British Airways flights offer the chance to earn miles towards their Executive Club frequent flyer scheme or that of any other Oneworld member.
www.ba.com
Kenya Airways is the premier airline for East Africa with a huge number of routes operating out of its hub, Jomo Kenyatta airport, Nairobi, connecting to destinations including Tanzania / Zanzibar, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Madagascar and the Seychelles.
For the London Heathrow - Nairobi route, Kenya Airways has a comfortable modern fleet configured with Premier World and economy cabins.
There are daily overnight flights on Boeing 777-200s,plus two or three daytime flights each week on Boeing 767-300s.
Premier World is good value – both 767 and 777s are now fitted with flatbeds and you have use of the Simba lounge at Jomo Kenyatta airport.
Economy class has a 32” seat pitch with seat-back video screens.
A partnership with KLM allows the flexibility to fly to Nairobi from regional airports via Amsterdam.
Kenya Airways is an associate member of Skyteam and is part of Air France – KLM’s Flying Blue frequent flyer programme.
www.kenya-airways.com
South African Airways transports over 6 million passengers a year, and is frequently named Africa’s best airline.
There are three flights nightly out of Heathrow Terminal 1, two to Johannesburg and one to Cape Town, with economy and business class cabins. Johannesburg is southern Africa’s major hub and SAA operates a vast network of domestic and regional flights from there.
The majority of long haul flights are operated by modern Airbus A340-300 or A340-600 aircraft. Business class has 180° lie-flat 6’6” beds, considered to be among the best in the world, a seat pitch of 78”, width 20”, in a 2:2:2 configuration. Business class passengers have the use of lounges at all South African airports, and also at London Heathrow.
Economy seating is 2:4:2 with seatback video screens and a 33”seat pitch.
Please note that some South African Airways flights from London are operated by their older A340-200 aircraft which offer the same business class product. The economy cabin has a seat pitch of 32” and main screen movies.
South African Airways is a full member of the Star Alliance.
www.flysaa.com
Many airlines have through ticketing agreements with British Airways, British Midland or Air France which allow you to fly into London Heathrow, Gatwick or Paris from certain regional airports. If it is more convenient, we can book you on KLM via Amsterdam, or Emirates via Dubai.