As I mentioned in the previous post, Federal Air is one of the airlines that specializes in offering flights to safari camps in South Africa. We were staying at Singita Boulders in Sabi Sands Reserve, and then Singita Lebombo in Kruger National Park, and Singita uses Federal Air as their preferred airline.
Continue reading: Review: Federal Airlines Flights South Africa
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Lucky,
Looking at that interior photo of the Grand Caravan brought me back to our honeymoon in Tanzania - the headroom was non-existent! I hit my head twice during some bumps during takeoffs.
Can't wait for your review of the Singita properties.
Airlink, South African’s regional affiliate, flies Kruger Mpumalanga to Cape Town nonstop. I flew the route last year on an Avro RJ I believe. I rented a car and it was about a 90 minute drive to the crocodile bridge gate. Very convenient for a short safari when I spent a month in Cape Town.
The one thing to keep in mind with Federal is that as they’re not considered a common carrier so no Travel insurance benefits apply.
I adore the Pilatus PC-12. Boutique Air flies them domestically in the US. One of my favorite experiences is being in that small plane going in and out of the way bigger infrastructure at ATL.
Like @Will I count myself as a Pilatus fan. We’ve chartered one from FLL to N Eluthra in the Bahamas a few times. Great choice for these types of operations given a relatively generous payload for luggage on top of passengers.
Could you give some pictures of the view along the flight so readers could compare with the sea plane transfer in Maldives?
There’s something special about walking up to a small plane on some dirt strip, haven’t done that in way too long! Makes me more jealous than any first class trip review.....
We had similarly good flights with FedAir last month: Kasane, Botswana (BBK) to Singita's Sabi Sands airstrip (which serves their Boulders and Ebony lodges) on the same Pilatus PC-12 you were on, and Sabi Sands to JNB on a five-passenger Phenom 100 jet (ZS-STS*) both of which we had to charter because they were the only options that would guarantee my mom -- who has emphysema -- pressurized cabins for the flights we needed to take. FedAir was professional and kind, and made us feel safe in this precarious-feeling situation...especially Mom, who had never been on planes that small before. I am grateful to FedAir for running such a top-notch operation, and to Singita for choosing them as their air partner.
* FedAir usually uses a four-passenger Cessna Citation Mustang for their daily jet service to Singita Sabi Sands, but they apparently chartered this plane, because there were five us traveling that day.
@tuotuo - there is no comparison in the views. Over the past month, my wife and I were both on FedAir planes to/from Boulders, and on a Trans Maldivian seaplane from the Westin Miriandhoo to MLE. The views over the bush in South Africa are uninspiring shades of beige, while The Maldives' azure waters and shimmering islands can inspire poetry. Interestingly, there is majesty to be seen/felt on the small plane flights in Botswana's Okavango Delta...but South Africa's bush is just dull from the air (though lovely on the ground).
You may say it’s not glamorous, but having the whole plane for you and your loved ones feels pretty high end to me! Amazing trip!
How long before we hear your dad figured out he was going on safari in S. Africa?
Lots of lady captains there! Planes without WC ~ what if someone really has to go ^_^
Lucky, your consistent inattention to detail is really tiresome...
1. Your views on departure from OR Rambo are of Boksburg and the Eastrand, the furthest edges of suburbia, barely considered Johannesburg, certainly not even close to the city (the airport is in the far East of the city, in fact not even in Johannesburg municipality and you flew further east)
2. The main airport inside the Kruger National Park is Skukuza and has an asphalt runway. It is now owned by Sabi Game Reserves I believe. I've flown in and out of there on Fed Air planes around 13 years ago
3. As mentioned above there is a non-stop flight from Nelspruit (Kruger Mpumalanga Gateway Airport) to CPT. I have heard of a flight from Skukuza as well but am not sure if that actually exists
The flight from CPT to Nelspruit (Avro RJ85) is the route we took. Had a driver meet us there and drive us to Sabi Sands, then on return we went from Nelspruit to Victoria Falls nonstop on an ERJ135. Its not Qatar business but the flights were great and the drive from and to Nelspruit gave us a glimpse of how the people live in that area.
I flew a FedAir Grand Caravan to/from Ulusaba and this was a nice reminder of our honeymoon two years ago. Being an avgeek, I loved being able to sit behind the pilots.
I did feel bad for the other couple with two kids on our flight. 3 of 4 of that group got wildly airsick and basically covered the back in vomit. The pilots did not know as the smell did not make its way forward until we got to the taxi stand. My wife was gulping for air. When we deplaned, the ground crew brought over paper towels but the husband, kindly, informed them to bring a hose.
Great review Lucky. Please give us an extremely thorough review of all safaris you went on!!!!
@Michael, what carriers fly out of Rambo airport in east jo-burg? It’s been tiresome trying to find information on this place. Please answer in detail.
This is like flying in New Zealand. One of the provincial Air NZ feeders used Beech 1900Ds and I had the best view ever out the pilots’ windshield of the approach to my home town from Auckland - out over the Pacific and back west to the runway sat in my side window-less seat 1A. Enjoyed your review of the flights and the lodges. Have a friend in Cape Town trying to lure us down there with the promise of safari on the side.
BTW, the ‘Jeep’ is a Land Rover