‘We never intended to become the news’ | Airlink pulls FNB flyby amid SACAA probe
Airline Airlink has cancelled a planned formation flyby at FNB Stadium due to poor weather conditions. This follows an ongoing investigation by the South African Civil Aviation Authority into a previous flyby conducted in Cape Town.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the tension between public spectacle and aviation safety regulations, drawing scrutiny from national transport authorities.
Ask AI 1 min Airlink has broken its silence over news that its pulled its application for another fly-by this weekend.
Airlink has pulled the plug on its planned FNB Stadium formation fly-by, saying unfavourable weather conditions mean safety must come before the spectacle, as the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) continues scrutinising last weekend’s controversial Cape Town operation.
The airline broke its silence after the SACAA confirmed it was analysing flight data and other information from the August 29 flyby over DHL Stadium ahead of the Springboks-All Blacks Test.
According to reports, Airlink CEO de Villiers Engelbrecht said the airline was grateful for the public enthusiasm surrounding the flyby, as well as the questions and concerns it had sparked.
But he stressed: “ We never intended to become the news or upstage Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry .”
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