SAA, Air China sign code-sharing agreement

24th August 2015 By: Megan van Wyngaardt - Creamer Media Contributing Editor Online

SAA, Air China sign code-sharing agreement

Photo by: Duane Daws

National carrier South African Airways (SAA) will now have access to a nonstop service between Beijing and Johannesburg, as well as points beyond Beijing to Chengdu, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Chongqing, following the signing of a code share agreement with Air China (CA).

CA would, in turn, put its code on SAA’s services between Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban and Port Elizabeth, from August 25 for travel effective October 29.

SAA launched its services to Beijing in 2012, which allowed the parties to expand their partnership.

The deal signals a strategic move by CA to inaugurate services to the African continent and for SAA to increase its connectivity in its already extensive African footprint.

The flights CA867/8 Beijing-Johannesburg would operate on a Boeing 777-300ER on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday outbound and on Monday, Wednesday and Friday inbound.

The Johannesburg-bound flight would depart from Beijing at 23:15 Beijing time and arrives in Johannesburg at 07:35 local time on the following day, while the Beijing-bound flight would depart from Johannesburg at 11:50 local time and arrive in Beijing at 07:30 Beijing time.