Durban in 10 minutes, and South African Airways even serves meals on 1-hour flights

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Sometimes business gets in the way on business trips.

The Rapid Traveler’s meeting in downtown Durban, South Africa ran over by two hours and there was no time to even stroll the nearby square in the dash to the airport.

Here is some drive-by tourism:

Durban 001

Durban 002

Durban 004

Here’s the UN Security Council-style chamber for the Durban Climate Conference.

Durban 008

(Just kidding, it is a funky airport lounge.)

Flying South African Airways for the first time was little different than other major airlines except that both ways on the 1-hour flight they served a meal, practically heaving them out like Frisbees to passengers during the small interval between ascent and descent.

And what a great name for Durban’s airport: King Shaka International.

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Haloastro
Haloastro
12 years ago

CX served us a full J breakfast TPE-HKG (also about 1 hr), which was impressive. Love that carrier.

Embla
Embla
12 years ago

Which lounge is that? I love the look of it!

I did some country hopping around the Middle East and to my surprise and delight they served food for the brief 1 hour flights. How I wish American airlines could do the same.

Rapid Travel Chai
12 years ago
Reply to  Embla

@Embla – that is the Bidvest Premier Lounge, accessed with my Diner’s Club card, SAA has a separate lounge at DUR. Bidvest runs lounges in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, East London, George and Port Elizabeth.

Tony
Tony
12 years ago

Big fan of SAA. Couple years ago flew jnb-Cpt at 9 pm and was shocked that they served a meal! I had already eaten at the airport so instead helped myself to some great SA wine.

Compare that to the US, where you don’t even get a bag of peanuts on a transcontinental flight…

The Weekly Flyer
12 years ago

Very cool lounge. Once toured the museum of natural history in 10 minutes. Another time I had all of 1 hour to see Geneva. I too specialize in 50 mph tourism.