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South African Airways Proudly Flies U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team to South Africa for Confederations Cup

Dépèche transmise le 11 juin 2009 par Business Wire

South African Airways Proudly Flies U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team to South Africa for Confederations Cup

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--South African Airways (SAA) announced that it was chosen by the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team as the airline to fly the team from the U.S. to South Africa to compete in the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009. The team will experience SAA’s award-winning service with fully-flat bed seats in Premium Business Class, the most legroom in economy and on-demand audio-visual entertainment systems in every seat on board, making sure they have the most comfortable flight possible before beginning their final preparations for the tournament.

The tournament will take place in South Africa from June 14-28, 2009, with the U.S. team facing its first competitor, Italy, on June 15 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, near Johannesburg. SAA is proud that the U.S. team has chosen to fly with the airline consistently chosen as “Best Airline to Africa” by numerous travel experts.

“As South Africa gears up for the 2010 tournament, SAA is prepared to fly players and fans alike to our homeland in order to experience the tournament in such a special place and with the airline that has been linking the U.S. to South Africa for many years,” said Marc Cavaliere, executive vice president for South African Airways in North America. “We’re grateful to U.S. Soccer and proud that they have chosen to fly with SAA for this important tournament. It’s fitting that they’ve chosen to do so as we celebrate 40 years of service to the U.S., as well as our 75^th Anniversary of flying the globe. It’s through these years that we have built up a reputation for being the most comfortable and most convenient way to more of Africa.”

Soccer fans are encouraged to fly to South Africa on South African Airways to revel in this year’s tournament, as well as the 2010 tournament. SAA offers morning non-stop service from New York, and direct service from Washington, D.C., offering the best fares to South Africa as well as value-priced packages. For more information, please call SAA’s reservations center at 1-800-722-9675, or call your travel agent.

South African Airways is celebrating its 75^th Anniversary in 2009, having been founded in February 1934, and since then has led the way in offering world-class service from Africa to the world. This attention to service throughout the years has resulted in the airline consistently being named “Best Airline” and “Best Business Class” to Africa by numerous travel experts and publications. Today, it is poised to continue this tradition of excellence by continuously enhancing its product offering, including non-stop service from New York JFK to Johannesburg. For more highlights on South African Airways’ 75-year history, visit www.flysaa.com, and link to “About Us.”

South African Airways features the only nonstop service from the U.S. to South Africa with daily departures from New York JFK, and direct service from Washington Dulles (with a stop in Dakar, Senegal) that offer travel convenience and award-winning service. Travelers in Premium Business Class enjoy 180° fully flat-bed seats, and in economy class enjoy the most legroom versus competitors. Every seat on board offers an individual on-demand entertainment system, plush pillow, warm blanket and amenity kit. SAA’s unrivaled network, featuring seamless connections to 19 destinations within South Africa, and 30 cities across the rest of the continent, makes the airline the savvy traveler’s “gateway to Africa.” To complement this network, a world of privileges awaits those who join Voyager, South African Airways’ premier mileage program. To sign up, visit www.flysaa.com, and link to the Voyager icon. As a Star Alliance member, South African Airways is able to offer its customers 912 destinations in 159 countries and more than 16,500 flights daily, including convenient connections from more than 25 cities in the U.S. through code share service with Star Alliance member United Airlines. Members of United’s Mileage Plus, US Airways’ Dividend Miles and Air Canada’s Aeroplan programs are able to earn and redeem miles on all SAA flights. For more information on South African Airways, please call (800) 722-9675 or visit www.flysaa.com, where travelers can sign up to be notified of other great travel deals and vacation packages.