By: cloud_9 - 27th July 2010 at 17:31
Might be a strange question, but why are there so many South African A340s at Heathrow doing absolutely nothing?
As has already been mentioned, its to do with the arrival and departure time of the flights, however, the reason for there being so many is/was because SA put on extra flights to JNB and CPT for the World Cup. I know its passed now, but they may also have an increased schedule during the summer months anyways.
By: Tartan Pics - 26th July 2010 at 22:16
As above,it is just a good place for them to daystop, also i believe are maintained by BMI…have seen them getting worked on in the hangar sometimes.
By: A330 Lover - 26th July 2010 at 02:32
You see two SA A340s practically 1 after the other about 7 in the morning ive seen them while im out working my trains under the heathrow flightpath
By: G-BNLL - 25th July 2010 at 22:50
Ive seen a Cathay Pacific 747 in the BMI Hangar on quite a few occasions now..
By: Mark L - 25th July 2010 at 22:14
The same thing happens in reverse. Several BA 747s spend the day sat on the ground in South Africa before flying back overnight.
By: Arabella-Cox - 25th July 2010 at 03:28
Go to flysaa.com and check their timetables (the website is fairly user-unfriendly). The flight time is around 14 hours and they leave JNB in the evening (GMT + 2).
By: EGTC - 24th July 2010 at 22:05
I think they normally arrive anywhere between 6am and 7:30am.. the odd occasion I have known them to arrive at 8:30am but I think this is due to a delay.
No problem 🙂 They’ve worked like this for years and I grew up by heathrow for most of my life so got to know the way things worked. 🙂
By: A330-300 - 24th July 2010 at 21:18
They arrive early morning, spend the day over at the BMI and BA hangars, then move back to the terminal later in the day to board passengers and fly back to SA.
I swear they must be ghost planes, I’ve never seen one arrive in the early morning. Thanks for clearing it up though, now I can sleep soundly at night 😀
By: Grey Area - 24th July 2010 at 19:26
EGTC has hit the nail on the head. 🙂
By: EGTC - 24th July 2010 at 17:53
They arrive early morning, spend the day over at the BMI and BA hangars, then move back to the terminal later in the day to board passengers and fly back to SA.
By: Arabella-Cox - 24th July 2010 at 17:01
Perhaps they have become surplus to requirements. The A340 was never popular with airlines and the 300-series aircraft – if these are they – might just about be ready to be sold on to make way for something more efficient.
Hasn’t SAA just taken delivery of some A330’s? If so, this might well be the explanation.
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July 24, 2010 at 4:54 pm