South African Airways (SAA) operated its first Airbus A350-900 aircraft for the first time commercially in the domestic market.

SAA on Tuesday said that the aircraft departed from Johannesburg to Cape Town after 10am, operating as flight SA323, and returned as flight SA336 from Cape Town to Johannesburg and landed at around 4pm.

“We are pleased to offer our customers a superior customer experience with the commercial introduction of the new Airbus A350 aircraft, which offers the quietest cabin of any twin-aisle aircraft,” SAA’s Acting CEO, Zuks Ramasia said.

Ultra-long-haul routes between Johannesburg and New York

SAA said the aircraft was one of four new Airbus A350-900 jets in SAA’s fleet.

“The introduction of the A350s will contribute to the airline’s operational efficiencies and forms part of fleet renewal to enable SAA to compete and serve its customers better through the introduction of new products,” the SAA said in the statement.

“As additional aircraft are introduced, more routes will be operated by the Airbus A350-900s, such as SAA’s ultra-long-haul routes between Johannesburg and New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The A350 will replace the Airbus A340-600 and will still operate Johannesburg – New York on a nonstop basis. Business and Economy Class customers will enjoy the quieter cabin, a more relaxing environment during flight.”

The Airbus A350-900 is configured with a maximum of 339 seats, of which 30 are business class seats and 309 are economy class seats. SAA will operate the aircraft for three years.

By African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Devereaux Morkel