South African Airways (Johannesburg) starting on March 28, will be operating a newer aircraft, the Airbus A330-200 on scheduled flights between London Heathrow and Johannesburg.

The newer aircraft replaces the current A340-600 used on the route and will operate on flight SA 235, the first of SAA’s two daily departures at 1900 and selected SA 237 flights, which departs at 2100.

In other news, South African has announced that it has accepted QANTAS Airways’ (Sydney) decision to conclude their long standing code share agreement effective May 31, 2014.

SAA has been flying to Sydney for more than 27 years before the code share with QANTAS was put in place in October 2000 following the strategic decision for SAA to stop operating between Johannesburg and Sydney with its own aircraft and to begin code sharing with QANTAS.

As a result, South African has announced a new code share agreement with Virgin Australia Brisbane).

SAA flies daily between Johannesburg and Perth and this new partnership offers SAA customers expanded access across Australia to domestic destinations such as Melbourne, Brisbane, and Adelaide. The new code share is now available for travel starting on February 11.

Virgin Australia has been an interline partner of SAA since July 2010 where the two airlines had a commercial agreement to handle those customers travelling on both airlines. SAA is now expanding this relationship into a code share agreement.

The flag carrier is celebrating its 80th anniversary this month. South African Airways dates back to February 1, 1934, when the South African government took over the assets and liabilities of Union Airways. The airline was renamed South African Airways (SAA), and fell under the control of the South African Railways and Harbour administration.

On November 1, 1934, SAA introduced the Junkers Ju 52/3m, the first multi-engine aircraft, which was used on domestic flights. During the 1930s, the airline steadily acquired more planes, including the first 10-seater Junkers Ju 86s, Douglas DC-3s, Lockheed 749A Constellations, Lockheed Lodestars, Douglas DC-7Bs, Vickers Viscounts and the Boeing 707.

Copyright Photo: Paul Denton/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A330-243 ZS-SXX (msn 1223) approaches the runway at the O.R. Tambo International Airport base near Johannesburg.

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