Upon boarding I presented my boarding pass to the two lovely flight attendants at the door, and was pointed towards my seat. SAA has a unique business class configuration on their A319s. The business class cabin features a total of 25 seats, spread across five rows in a 2-3 configuration. The seat pitch is apparently…
Continue reading: Review: South African Airways Business Class A319 Johannesburg To Cape Town
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Until a few years ago South Africa didn't even allow the use of mobile phones *in flight* in airplane mode, so they clearly just like to be a few steps behind on electronics usage rules.
I also had this configuration from JNB-CPT last year.
It struck me as being precisely what "premium economy" on US domestic carriers should be. It avoids "armrest wars" and equally provides ample legroom to permit the person in front to recline without impinging the passenger in back. Indeed, my legs are so short that 35 or even 34 inches of pitch would achieve that.
As far as the "3" side of such a premium economy seat being a middle seat, I presume that would be the last to be sold and often empty or, perhaps, occupied by the third party in a group of three.
SAA has had this configuration on their narrow bodies since at least 2002. Nothing inspiring about it.
For the record, BA has the same configuration in the Business product in South Africa. Look like the same exact seats, even. But the service seemed to be much better than I've experienced typically in F on domestic US-carrier flights. Much happier FAs, at least. And while the food we received wasn't plated as well as on domestic carriers, it was much tastier with seemingly fresher ingredients and much less salt.
And the lounge at JNB for BA pax was VERY nice. Great food spread, beautiful showers with views of the apron/tarmac. It's a contract lounge, but was better than most domestic United Clubs and Admirals Clubs, for sure.
@Adam - Most of the BA/Comair 737s I've been on in southern Africa have the "two" seats on the left constructed in the old (20 years ago) USAir configuration, where a set of three seats are "converted" to be two seats, with the middle seat not used (the wider window and aisle seats ate up some of the middle seat) as one can see here: 
). I'm a huge BA/Comar loyalist.
I agree, the BA SLOW lounges in SA (there are three - Cape Town, Joburg, and Durban) are terrific, though the Durban one can be a little tight at peak times. But they do beat, hands down, almost all US domestic lounges, from comfort to space to friendliness to food offerings.
JAL's Class J domestic product has 5 abreast seating, although I've heard that the cost difference between economy and Class J is minimal and service in Class J may be akin to premium economy.
"In the Middle East you’ll find some of the world’s best business class products, often offering fully flat beds and incredible service."
True, but you're just as likely to get a recliner style seat when flying within the region.
"I’d much rather they remove the cover in front of me, rather than me having to try and take them off, which can be a challenge, especially as these were sealed on quite tight."
Wow. I can't even begin to express how self-entitled this sentence comes across as.