Low South African stadium flyover under review, next one scrapped
South African aviation authorities are reviewing a low-altitude stadium flyover performed by Airlink during a rugby match after safety concerns were raised. The airline has cancelled a subsequent planned flypast, citing unfavorable weather conditions.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the tension between high-profile promotional stunts and aviation safety regulations in crowded public spaces.
South Africa's aviation regulator says it's reviewing a low stadium flyover that has sparked international debate as the airline involved cancelled the next flypast because of poor weather.
Dramatic images of two custom-liveried Airlink passenger jets swooping over the Cape Town stadium ahead of Saturday's rugby test match went viral, with critics charging it had been too risky.
The flyby was put on by Airlink, an official partner of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry.
South Africa's aviation authority (SACAA) said on Wednesday (all times local) the airline had conducted all necessary procedures before the stunt, including a practice flight in a simulator.
However, following the public debate, it had "initiated compliance verifications" by engaging with Airlink and obtaining flight data recordings and extra information.
Global flight tracking service Flightradar24 has said its analysis showed the lead aircraft was at one point about 12.5 to 14 metres above the stadium's highest structure.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in