3 minute read Earlier this week, we took a look at where South African Airways’ various examples of the Boeing 747 ended up. The 747 was a game-changing jetliner when it first flew in the 1970s, and European manufacturer Airbus launched a similarly ground-breaking plane during this decade: the A300. SAA also operated this type, which was the world’s first-ever twin-engine widebody jet. But what became of the nine examples that SAA operated? SAA operated nine A300s between 1976 and 2001. Photo: Bob Adams via Flickr Why did SAA operate the A300? South African Airways began operating the Airbus A300 in 1976, two years after it entered service with Air France. With the aircraft being a world first in terms of being a widebody design with just two engines, the A300 firmly placed Airbus on the map.