Cheaper business class

Q: Our family has decided to fly our 75 year-old father out to England to see his grandchildren. We decided that he should fly in business class, to make it more comfortable for him. However, my travel agent has quoted us over R42,000 for a return ticket to London on SAA, which we consider excessive. Is there a cheaper business class fare on another airline, preferably on a direct flight? - Sam Le Roux

A: The fare you were quoted on SAA is the full business class fare. There is a cheaper SAA fare (in D class) which would give you the same seat for around R26,000. Your dates are presumably fairly flexible, so you should be able to find a ticket at this price. If your travel agent cannot offer you one, you can book directly on the SAA website, www.flysaa.com. There are cheaper business class fares on airlines travelling through Europe or the Middle East, but these would all necessitate a change of plane. British Airways and Virgin have a premium economy class, which is more spacious and has better service than economy, but is not a full business class. These fares range from around R15,000 return.