Comair Limited is an airline based in South Africa that operates a British Airways franchise in the Southern Saharan African Belt. Under the British Airways brand, they offer services to many key cities in South Africa and the Southern part of the African Continent and are affiliated with One World Airline Network Alliance. They also operate low cost carrier Kuala, which operates to many of the same destinations. Today’ flight would be on their mainline British Airways carrier in Business “Club” class.

---

This post is one chapter on our trip to South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mauritius and the United Arab Emirates. This trip was redeemed through American Airlines AAdvantage & Alaska Mileage Plan. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.

If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.

---

---

Review: British Airways Comair Club Business Class B737-4, O.R. Tambo International Airport Johannesburg – Cape Town International

---

“Our British Airways Comair Flight was a straight forward business class lite with slightly more comfortable seating, a proper meal, a pre-departure beverage and lounge access”

After a visit to The Slow Lounge Johannesburg Domestic O.R Tambo International Airport, we headed down to the gate and boarded the flight using the priority lanes. Today’s gates were hard wired into the ground like at an amusement park or a movie theatre. That’s one way of controlling the gate queues. The only mishap is that they weren’t marked today so you had to ask around.

British Airways
DBA Comair
Business Class
JNB-CPT (OR Tambo International Airport – Cape Town International Airport)
BA 6429
April 16, 2016
Booked: Boeing 737-400
Flown: Boeing 737-400
Departure: 5:00 PM
Arrival: 7:10 PM

On Board British Airways Club Business Class:

As most probably know, the British Airways Comair Club Business Class seating on board is really compact and tight. It is identical to an economy seat with the middle seat blocked. For the life of me, I can’t imagine why one would choose this carrier over the wide body jets of South African Airways on this same route for their domestic selections. Well, aside from the attractive BA Avios points program and the fact that Comair has apparently turned a profit for 51 consecutive years while their South African Airways competition has consistently run out of money. . .

Pre Departure Services:

There was a pre-departure beverage of South Africa Cap Classique sparkling to start this short hop down to the mother city. It was served in a proper glass, which was a nice upgrade from the usual North American carriers that usually serve it in a plastic cup.

Departing O.R. Tambo International Airport:

We had a scenic departure out of flat Johannesburg with some peek a boo views of the mining activity around the town and their excellent highway systems. The clouds thickened as we headed down towards Cape Town and a nice airborne sunset.

The Meal: A Full Hot Supper

We were served a second pre-supper drink with a full bar available to enjoy.

Surprisingly, we were served a full hot meal for the short domestic trip. This isn’t something I was expecting for a short domestic flight of 790 miles, but it was very much welcomed.

For the like of me, after thirty hours of travelling over 3 days, I can’t recall what this main course was. It doesn’t look half bad though for an airline meal… No menus were provided on this short hop.

The main course was followed by dessert (chocolate cakes) / wrapped cheese, which we passed on.

On Short Final to Cape Town:

Terrific Drop Cloth Views over Table Mountain

We had a great sunset views on the way down with a tablecloth view of Table Mountain on arrival into the sunset Cape Town the mother city. There is nothing like a seeing a major landmark from the air in an unusual, unique way. When the sun lines up with the clouds, it’s just magic like nothing else.

• 

• 

Landing at Cape Town:

We arrived to a non gate position and we were out on the apron before we knew it. It had been raining quite a bit thanks to some stormy clouds. Red shirt man was entertained by the descent no doubt!

Our Experience on British Airways Comair Club Class:

The British Airways Comair experience was a reasonable alternative to South African Airways. I didn’t find the alternative to be all that much better, but it provided a means of getting around within South Africa on the One World Network when the most direct route didn’t have reward space. The Slow Lounge before the flight was comfortable, although small, and the flight offered straight forward service without being too exciting. The main drawback was the lack of a proper business class seat as the seats were economy class styled with a blocked middle. Overall, it was a reasonable flight but nothing to get too overly excited about.

---

If you’ve flown British Airways Comair between Johannesburg and Cape Town, did you find it to be enough “business class” for your needs ?

---