South African Airways Airbus A340 300 V1 seat review by Cassandra Harriott #27960

Well it looked really impressive when I walked on. Business class is 2x2x2 configuration. I was looking forward to having a seat after I discovered that SAA have some of the widest seats - expecting pure comfort!
It was wide, the belt was long and easy to tighten. The electronic control to put the chair into bed or cradle position also had a massage function!
Each seat had its own tv screen and there was plenty of space between each chair for the bed to lie flat.
I hate the fact that you have someone so close to you. If they are a stranger you get to know them pretty well by the end of the flight. Especially if you're one of those unfortunates to have an aisle seat next to a window seat.... Be prepared to have someone lunging over you whilst sleeping for a midnight pee!
The plug socket on my seat didn't work so I had to use someone else's. I thought this was just a fluke but it also happened on my short flight from jo'burg to Cape Town also.
The massage function didn't work which would have helped trying to get my body moving after a horrendous sleep. The chairs are so uncomfortable that I felt I'd been the recipient of a good "kickin" when I awoke. The "duvet" was really narrow so bits of me were hanging in the cold aircon cabin. However at times it was unbearably hot!
The inflight entertainment was poor. I had already seen most of the "new releases".
All the cabin crew were polite and helpful, and all but one of them seemed genuinely happy to be there.
The food was good and they had an excellent selection of drinks.
I am dreading my 11 hour flight back to the UK. I doubt that they'll get some decent seats before I leave