Layovers

[Buffalo1]

3 hrs !

 

[Hogpatrol]

You could be sitting on the tarmac waiting for a gate for a half hour or more. In today's environment, I wouldn't do anything less than two hours at ANY airport in the world.

 

[TNDave]

No less than 3 hours!

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

No way on a 1 hour layover. Like all have said Min. 3 hours without guns.
In 2019 on return we had a 3 1/2 hour lay over. With a weather delay after landing waiting on a gate to open up. Customs and gun check and rechecking everything on to Houston. Then hustled to make it to gate as they were boarding already.
Now when traveling with guns I look for 4-5 hour transit times when coming back

 

[Limcroma Safaris]

So, as an add on question, if you will, do the flights to RSA from Atlanta utilize similar aircraft?

Delta now flys the AIRBUS A350-900 from ATL-JNB-ATL..

The seating is as follows:

Business Class where you have your own private cubical type enclosure with a chair that folds flat into a bed. It's amazing but extremely expensive!

Next is Premium Select which are basically domestic first-class seats but with more recline and a footrest. They are spaced 2-4-2 in each row. Also expensive but within the realm of reason.

Then you have Comfort+ which is a slightly bigger seat than main cabin with a bit more recline and leg room. They are spaced 3-3-3 per row. Not terribly expensive and most folks think the extra leg room is worth it over standard main cabin seating.

And finally, main cabin which is a standard seat spaced 3-3-3 as well. Nothing special here except if you pay to upgrade to an exit row.

United flys the 787-9 Dreamliner. After Business Class which is similar to Delta's, the seating is 3-3-3 for every section. I have no personal experience with this flight, but I'm sure others here have flown this route who can provide feedback.

 

[buckshot85]

Delta now flys the AIRBUS A350-900 from ATL-JNB-ATL..

The seating is as follows:

Business Class where you have your own private cubical type enclosure with a chair that folds flat into a bed. It's amazing but extremely expensive!

Next is Premium Select which are basically domestic first-class seats but with more recline and a footrest. They are spaced 2-4-2 in each row. Also expensive but within the realm of reason.

Then you have Comfort+ which is a slightly bigger seat than main cabin with a bit more recline and leg room. They are spaced 3-3-3 per row. Not terribly expensive and most folks think the extra leg room is worth it over standard main cabin seating.

And finally, main cabin which is a standard seat spaced 3-3-3 as well. Nothing special here except if you pay to upgrade to an exit row.

United flys the 787-9 Dreamliner. After Business Class which is similar to Delta's, the seating is 3-3-3 for every section. I have no personal experience with this flight, but I'm sure others here have flown this route who can provide feedback.

Great info. Thank you.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Flew the 787 back from Joburg last week. There are four seating classes. Was in the exit row, the beginning of economy/steerage, row 42. Looking at the Premium Plus, there was plenty of legroom for a six plus footer.

Seating arrangement here:

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/inflight/aircraft/787-8.html

 

[outwestidaho]

Flew the 787 back from Joburg last week. There are four seating classes. Was in the exit row, the beginning of economy/steerage, row 42. Looking at the Premium Plus, there was plenty of legroom for a six plus footer.

Seating arrangement here:

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/inflight/aircraft/787-8.html

We are leaving next week and my App shows the plane being a 787-9 dream liner. But your plane was and 787-8 ? Just wondering.

 

[Hogpatrol]

We are leaving next week and my App shows the plane being a 787-9 dream liner. But your plane was and 787-8 ? Just wondering.

We flew the dash nine. It has a longer range than te dash eight or ten.

 

[Doug3006]

I live in St. Louis, so the flight to ATL is about 1.5 hours. On more than one occasion I have arrived in ATL and taxied/parked for longer than the flight lasted! No….one hour is not a long enough layover.

 

[Deleted member 40394]

Delta now flys the AIRBUS A350-900 from ATL-JNB-ATL..

The seating is as follows:

Business Class where you have your own private cubical type enclosure with a chair that folds flat into a bed. It's amazing but extremely expensive!

Next is Premium Select which are basically domestic first-class seats but with more recline and a footrest. They are spaced 2-4-2 in each row. Also expensive but within the realm of reason.

Then you have Comfort+ which is a slightly bigger seat than main cabin with a bit more recline and leg room. They are spaced 3-3-3 per row. Not terribly expensive and most folks think the extra leg room is worth it over standard main cabin seating.

And finally, main cabin which is a standard seat spaced 3-3-3 as well. Nothing special here except if you pay to upgrade to an exit row.

United flys the 787-9 Dreamliner. After Business Class which is similar to Delta's, the seating is 3-3-3 for every section. I have no personal experience with this flight, but I'm sure others here have flown this route who can provide feedback.

Flew to SA via United over the weekend. I am a big guy but got lucky as the seat beside me was unoccupied. Long flight but not overly horrible. We waited on the plane for 1,5 hours before takeoff so 15 hours turned to 17 hours basically. I bet I stood up 2 hours over the entire fight. There were several other hunters on the plane and one of them I stood with at the back of the plane and we were talking about our trips and animals we planned to hunt. It was this guys 8th trip to Africa. I sat in the very back hoping if masks were still required that I could not wear one. Now there is zero mask requirements and zero requirement for COVID test.

 

[buckshot85]

Looking at flight schedules and prices.
Why does it cost more to return home from RSA? O'Hare to Atlanta to RSA, but the return trip with the same layover is $470 more????

 

[fourfive8]

Not because of immigration transportation demand I'm thinking.....
Seriously, maybe a combination of differential relative cost of added freight plus as simple as the, I gotta get home somehow premium.

 

[JimP]

What days are you flying? Are the flights during the busy time on a Friday through Monday or in the middle of the week?

That can be a major difference in price.

 

[CJW]

Even domestically I'm not comfortable with less than 1.5 hours. An expensive, long anticipated international trip I would want at least 3.

 

[buckshot85]

What days are you flying? Are the flights during the busy time on a Friday through Monday or in the middle of the week?

That can be a major difference in price.

I’ve been playing days of the week departures and arrivals. Price doesn’t change.