Checked off all three of South Africa’s largest airports with this one! Located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, King Shaka International Airport, abbreviated as KSIA, is the largest airport on South Africa’s eastern coast and opened in 2010 just in time for that year’s FIFA World Cup. The largest aircraft that regularly serves Durban is the 777-300ER of Emirates, which we’ll be on today.
Server: Solo
Airline: Emirates
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Origin: Dubai International Airport, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (DXB)
Destination: King Shaka International Airport, La Mercy, South Africa (DUR)
Flight Number: EK775
Route: OMDB-FALE
Seat: 19A (Economy)
Time En Route: 8 Hours 24 Minutes
Boarding in Dubai for the roughly 8.5-hour trip to Durban. We’re going to be in economy on the 73W-configured 777-300ER, with 360 seats in a 8F/42J/310M configuration.
Quick backtaxi on 12R/30L to get around a logjam of jets
Departing Dubai for Durban. Emirates is not the only Gulf carrier to fly into the South African city, as Qatar Airways serves KSIA with the A350-900 and Turkish Airlines with the A330-300, in addition to the A359. However, EK’s service is the only non-stop widebody service to Durban, as QR operates via Maputo, Mozambique, and TK operates via Johannesburg.
Passing both of Dubai’s iconic Palm Trees during climbout. Most trip reports on Emirates focus on the airline’s luxurious first class and business class products, which are strong contenders for the best in the industry. However, Emirates’s economy product is also excellent, even though the seats on older 777s are starting to show their age a bit.
In cruise over Somalia
Somewhere over Mozambique
Final descent into Durban
Golden Hour arrival at KSIA
Taking a high-speed exit off of the runway
Deplaned at the C Gates