Media Centre

27 October – Johannesburg. Low Cost Carrier FlySafair is urging competitors to return to the market as quickly as possible in order to meet rising consumer demand for domestic flights.

The South African domestic aviation landscape has been in trouble this year, with some airlines facing tough circumstances before the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to all air operations, pushing many airlines over the edge. Presently it’s only FlySafair, Mango, Airlink and Cemair that are contesting the domestic market.

“As at the start of November, we’ll be operating at full capacity again”, says Kirby Gordon Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair, “While this is great for us, the problem is that we’re hitting a cap now where demand for flights is going to outstrip supply resulting in higher prices, unless some of our competitors can return to action”.

Before the national lockdown, FlySafair was operating about 24% of the domestic seat capacity in South Africa, that share is presently sitting at about 76% because major competitors Kulula and British Airways remain in a dormant state awaiting relaunch after business rescue proceedings. While Mango Airlines is operating, their schedule remains very slim as concerns over the future of South African Airways (Mango’s parent company) remain uncertain.

“We started up again on 15 June this year and have pretty much been carrying the mantle since then. It’s been a privilege to fly during this time and we’ve been able to continually add additional seats as demand for flights has increased, but that ability is now coming to an end because we’re operating at full tilt. We need our competition to return”.

Concerns are surfacing around the prospects of a possible second wave of Coronavirus infections, and while the potential imposition of stricter regulations may be on the horizon, leading indicators show that this December season could mean a welcome boom for local tourism.

“There’s a lot of pent-up demand, and word from the accommodation sector is that bookings for December are looking strong. The problem is that flights are going to be expensive unless we see some more capacity pumped into the market soon. Healthy competition makes flying more affordable and having options also stimulates consumer demand”.

FlySafair acknowledges the ruling made by the Advertising Regulatory Board, and recent articles written about that ruling, concerning a television commercial for our brand.

As depicted in our commercial, and as demonstrated by our recent actions of removing a passenger from a flight for refusing to wear a mask, FlySafair takes the issue of mask-wearing compliance very seriously and supports the wearing of face masks to cover one’s nose and mouth in order to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The commercial we aired earlier last month mixed scenes of individuals boarding an aircraft wearing appropriate PPE, and scenes of South Africans reconnecting, which were repurposed from a previous commercial which can be viewed here.

The severe impact of the lockdown on our economy is well documented. The aviation industry is one that was particularly hard hit. In an effort to keep costs low during a very difficult period we chose to carefully edit appropriate scenes from a pre-existing commercial for use in this one in order to save costs. It might be interesting to note that the new commercial is also only 20 seconds long, rather than the traditional 30 seconds, for the same reason.

A disclaimer was included at the end of the commercial to explain that some scenes were filmed before the pandemic and to emphasise our support for mask-wearing.

FlySafair absolutely supports responsible business, and responsible advertising. Our television commercial was never intended to advocate any sort of irresponsible behavior and we encourage the work of the Advertising Regulatory Board.

6 October 2020, Johannesburg – The newest addition to FlySafair’s fleet, a Boeing 737-800 Next-Generation aircraft, touched down at OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday last week. A second aircraft is due later this month. FlySafair has been slowly increasing capacity since restarting operations in June this year, and these new arrivals will allow for further expansion helping to increase capacity as demand for local travel grows.

Last week the International Air Transport Association (IATA), published new statistics that indicated that 4.5 million African jobs will be lost in aviation and aviation-related industries thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. This accounts for well over half of the 7.7 million jobs in the sector. South Africa will certainly be no exception to this, as the fate of most local airlines remains hanging in the balance.

“Now’s a great time to look to expand your fleet, if you’re in a position to do so, because with the industry being where it is, there are plenty of aircraft up for grabs at very reasonable prices” says Kirby Gordon, CMO of FlySafair.

FlySafair’s careful resource planning has allowed it to recommence operations, while also ensuring the safety of its employees and customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This circumspect approach has always stood it in good stead as a bullish competitor in the local market. The Center for Aviation (CAPA) reports that capacity in South Africa is down about 70% from this time last year and that upwards of 74% of the seats available on the local market are being operated by FlySafair.

“It was important to us that we get our operations going as soon as it was feasible to do so, especially as it was clear that there was not going to be any state support for our sector. We’re also in the fortunate position where we perform all our own maintenance, so there’s been no reliance on possibly unstable third parties in that regard”.

FlySafair’s new aircraft, already painted in the company colours, will begin operations as soon as registration requirements are processed by the South African Civil Aviation Authority.

“This new addition will help to increase capacity and hopefully push fares down a bit”, says Gordon who added, “we’ve been holding the mantle for a while now and it’s important that we get more capacity into the market through our own expansion, and through the return of competitors. Our economy needs lots of affordable air access as a catalyst for recovery”.

Our president has advised against unnecessary air travel, but it is still safe to travel as long as you adhere to recommended safety practices.

In line with this, FlySafair has implemented a no-touch policy to reduce physical contact between customers and staff to limit the spread of COVID-19. So please do not hand your phone, boarding pass, ID or other items to any of our staff. Rather display such items for scanning or checking while holding onto them.

To avoid unnecessary contact, we offer travel solutions that limit contact with others. These include, but are not limited to:

• Travel light – if possible, travel with hand luggage only.
• Online check-in – skip the queues at the check-in desks. If you have a checked bag, it still needs to be dropped off at the check-in counter.
• Digital boarding pass – instead of using a printed boarding pass, when checking in online, download or Whatsapp it directly to your and other travellers’ phones.

Your health

If you don’t have any symptoms like a fever, cough or a stuffy nose, and you are implementing safe hygiene practices, you are safe to fly.

Most importantly, look after your health by strictly adhering to the advised safety protocols.
So specifically,

• Wash your hands regularly and carry your hand sanitiser/sanitising wipes along
• Be aware of surface contamination
• Keep your distance from other people
• Avoid touching your face
• Cough and sneeze into a tissue or folded elbow

If you do feel ill during a flight, please be sure to alert a cabin crew member immediately.

If you have any questions, we are here to help.
 

We at FlySafair have taken note of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation this evening and support his actions.

We are taking all necessary precautions to ensure the health and safety of our staff and customers.

All flights are going ahead as scheduled for the moment.

That said, we await clarity on some of the details during the ministerial briefings at 10am tomorrow. Customers will be advised of any required changes to processes or schedules via SMS and email using the details provided at the time of making your reservation.

We thank our customers for their patience and echo the President’s sentiment that this challenge will be overcome by standing together.

Read more on COVID-19 and air travel here

FlySafair excelled at the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) annual excellence awards, the Civil Aviation Industry Awards 2019, winning numerous categories and bringing home the prestigious Aviation Company of the Year Award.

The awards were hosted on 13 December at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Lynnwood, Pretoria, and awards highlighted excellence among individuals, companies and many others involved in the aviation industry and are assessed by an independent panel of expert judges.

The awards were issued across various categories, including Aviation Safety, Aviation Security, Aviation Innovation, Aviation Transformation and an Airport Achievement Award.

FlySafair also won the Aircraft Operator of the Year Award, for the second year in a row, and took home the awards for Aviation Customer Services, Aviation Security, and Aviation Maintenance Organisation. FlySafair CEO Elmar Conradie was also honoured with the Aviation Professional Award.

In the category People Development, FlySafair was the runner up, with ATNS taking the top spot.

“We are extremely proud to be honoured with such prestigious awards and would like to thank the SACAA. Having the hard work and dedication of our remarkable teams acknowledged on this level is hugely appreciated and we will continue to strive to be the best airline operating in South Africa,” says Kirby Gordon, Head of Sales and Distribution at FlySafair.

FlySafair has performed a clean sweep this year by winning the Feather Award for Best Low-Cost Carrier at every Airport Company South Africa (ACSA) airport it operates from, the third time that the airline has managed this feat.

The Feather Awards are ACSA’s annual excellence awards ceremony. The awards are judged at each airport on an individual basis, based on a range of criteria surrounding the level of customer experience offered by the airlines.

Winning the sought-after Best Low-Cost Carrier award at every station operated is a great achievement and testament to FlySafair’s service excellence in 2019.

One of the major criteria for these awards when it comes to the airline categories is the airline’s on-time performance track record. ACSA measures this record for each carrier, and a flight is determined to be on time if it departs within a 15-minute window of the scheduled departure time.

FlySafair has a record on-time performance of 93.31% for the year. This is the leading on-time performance record among all airlines operating in South Africa and among the top in the world.  

Kirby Gordon, Head of Sales and Distribution at FlySafair says, “A major factor contributing to FlySafair’s on-time performance record is the fact that we perform our own maintenance. Being able to independently maintain our aircraft at our own technical facility has kept our standards high and guarantees our passengers a reliable service that will be unaffected by external issues, keeping our planes in the sky and our passengers happy.”

Since FlySafair’s launch in 2014 the airline has grown from a two-aircraft operation flying between Cape Town and Johannesburg to a 16 aircraft fleet that presently serves more destinations than any other low-cost carrier in the country.

“We are proud to have won this award and want to thank all our staff, supporters and partners who helped make this possible. 2019 has been an interesting year for the aviation industry filled with ups and downs but we are confident we will carry this momentum into 2020," Gordon concluded. 

We can confirm that flight FA 202 from Johannesburg to Cape Town, turned back to OR Tambo, shortly after take-off on 16 September 2019.  The incident, due to a racking issue on a single computer component on our Boeing 737-400, was immediately handled by our crew.

We worked hand-in-hand with the South African Civil Aviation Authority, and the aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, to identify and remedy the root cause of this issue. We thank the SACAA for their guidance and commend them on the thoroughness of their work, treating even minor incidents like this one, with intense scrutiny.

FlySafair’s mission is to ensure passenger safety remains our number one priority.

FlySafair regrets to confirm that flight FA 461 from Cape Town to Durban has to turn back to Cape Town due to a technical issue with the aircraft.

The aircraft has landed safely at Cape Town international.

FA 461 departed at 20:01 on the 20th of August 2019, 4 minutes ahead of the scheduled departure time. During the climb the cabin crew were alerted to an issue regarding the cabin pressurisation systems and decided to turn back to Cape Town and implement the required safety procedures.

In these circumstances crew are required to initiate full safety protocol, which the crew of FA 461 did with full professionalism. The pilots turned the aircraft back toward Cape Town and initiated what in aviation is referred to as a ‘rapid descent’.

The aircraft had reached an altitude of approximately 20 000 feet above sea level when the crew initiated the descent action, with the aim to return the aircraft to 10 000 feet above sea level, where pressurisation is not a concern.

In this process, as briefed at the beginning of each flight, oxygen masks deployed from overhead panels to provide enriched air for customers to breath during this quick descent.

The aircraft then made a return to Cape Town International Airport where they landed safely just before 21:00. As is procedure in these circumstances, the aircraft was met by assistance vehicles on the runway, so as to be able to attend to any issues should they have arisen. Nobody aboard required any medical assistance after landing.

During events like these, crew are required to prioritise their actions in the following order: Aviate, Navigate, and then Communicate. This was the exact order that the crew of FA 461 followed: prioritising the safety of the aircraft by initiating the descent, directing it back to Cape Town International, communicating with Air Traffic Control, and then with the customers on board. We thank our crew for the excellent work they did.

Naturally, an occurrence such as this can be very upsetting to those on board. As soon as FA 461 landed in Cape Town the customers were met by our ground teams who were there to see to the needs of all.

FlySafair immediately dispatched a standby aircraft to pick up the flight for those seeking to continue onto Durban, which most customers chose to do. The airline has also made counsellors available to any customers seeking to speak to someone professional regarding their experience.

We would like to extend a sincere apology to our customers for the experience they had this evening, and for the inconvenience of having to turn back and have their journey delayed in this way. 

The airline regards this as a top priority and an investigation into the cause of the technical issue is already underway, under the guidance and consultation of Boeing and the South African Civil Aviation Authority, which has already been informed of this issue.

Ends.

Contact: media@flysafair.co.za

It is with immense sadness that FlySafair confirms the passing of a customer on board our flight FA203 from Cape Town to Johannesburg this evening.

Just before final descent, the customer began to experience some discomfort. The seatbelt lights were illuminated, but customers in the row in front of him alerted our crew to a potential medical emergency. Our crew member was informed that this customer was undergoing cancer treatment and assisted with the required first aid as per their training, while calling for additional assistance from three doctors who were on board.

During the descent, the customer’s condition deteriorated and upon landing the crew member and doctors began resuscitation procedures. Paramedics were rushed to the customer as soon as the aircraft doors were opened, but tragically the customer passed away.

Our deepest sympathies are with the friends and family of this customer during this very difficult time, and with the passengers aboard this flight who bore witness to this incredibly sad event. We’d also like to express deep gratitude to our crew, the doctors on board, and the paramedic teams at OR Tambo who did everything within their power to save this man.

As with any incident of this nature the South African Police were informed and investigated the aircraft. Further updates and details on the event would need to be released by the police.

There were no delays or disruptions to any future flights.

Ends.

21 June 2019 – Durban. FlySafair regrets to confirm a tragic finding aboard one of our aircraft this morning. Flight FA 411 was scheduled to depart Durban for Johannesburg at 06:15 am. Upon final preparations of the waste management system for the departure of flight, our technical crew discovered what appeared to be an abandoned foetus within the system.

Immediately the teams alerted the relevant authorities to initiate investigations.

Unfortunately, this has resulted in delay to flight FA411 as passengers were asked to disembark the aircraft while FlySafair initiated procedures to recover their onward journey.

Beyond this we are unable to comment on any specifics relating to the finding which is now a police matter. The South African Police Service would be better poised to provide any further information.

“We will be doing everything within our power to aid authorities in the necessary investigations and thank our loyal customers for their patience with the resultant delay” says Kirby Gordon, Head of Sales and Distribution at FlySafair.

Ends.

For more information, visit our Travel Updates page.

FlySafair regrets to confirm that we are aware of evidence of an internal employee dispute which is being shared on social media.

FlySafair is proud to have created jobs over the past 5 years such that we are able to directly employ over 1000 people. The growth of our business has also created many more employment opportunities for other through our business partners. We pride ourselves on being a fair employer and on having a great culture.

The unfortunate incident being shared is, without proper context and offers a single-sided view of a complex matter. Disciplinary hearings are matters which we take very seriously and are dealt with the to the letter of, and in the spirit of, the law.

The affected employee has been advised of the appropriate channels afforded to them in order to appeal the decision taken by the company, should they feel that their dismissal was unfair.

Joint Statement by Mihlali Ndamase and FlySafair:

Tuesday 14 May 2019, Johannesburg. -  Mihlali and FlySafair have come together to discuss the events on Sunday night’s incident in great detail. It was identified that there were some unfortunate misunderstandings on both sides, but both parties are in agreement that discrimination, is an issue that we as South Africans need to continue to eradicate in order to build our future. The parties discussed the complexities of discrimination which can be explicit or implied, conscious or unconscious, deliberate or accidental, and agreed that there is a lot of work to be done in our country to bring attention to these nuances. Both also reached common ground on the fundamental importance of flawless aviation safety management and appropriate behaviour aboard an aircraft.

FlySafair expressed their regret at the situation. “We want all of our customers to have an excellent experience aboard our aircraft and to feel safe in all regards.” says Kirby Gordon, Head of Sales & Distribution.

ends.

PREVIOUS UPDATES:

UPDATE: Monday, 13 May 2019 - Johannesburg - 16:30

FlySafair and Mihlali Ndamase are continuing to engage. At this stage there are no comments to be made.

UPDATE: Monday, 13 May 2019 - Johannesburg - 09:30

Investigations into yesterday's events will commence this morning. The airline is getting in touch with Mihlali Ndamase this morning and will update this article with outcomes. We hope to wrap this up this afternoon.

Sunday, 12 May 2019 – Johannesburg - 21:20

FlySafair would like to hereby acknowledge the social media statements issued by Mihlali Ndamase regarding her experience on a Flysafair flight this evening.

FlySafair will launch a comprehensive investigation into the incident and will take swift and appropriate actions in response.

Over the past 4 years, FlySafair has created employment for over 1000 South Africans from all walks of life. We are a cohesive team, and we do not tolerate and form of discrimination.

In reply to Mihlali, FlySafair posted the following comment to their post:

“Hi @mihlali_n. Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention. Of course we as a company do not stand for discrimination of any sort. As the proud employers of over 1000 South Africans from all walks of life we stand for inclusivity, equality and tolerance. You have our assurance that we will investigate the matter comprehensively in the morning. We'll obviously consult with our teams for context and, with your consent, we will have a Senior FlySafair representative call you in the morning for your account too. We intend decisive action.”

ends.

FlySafair continues to soar, taking home the title of Best Airline in Africa and the Indian Ocean in the 2019 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice awards for the second year running.
 

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – 02, April, 2019 – FlySafair has once again officially been named Best Airline Africa and Indian Ocean in the 2019 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice™ awards for Airlines. 

The Travellers’ Choice Awards highlight the world’s top carriers based on the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for airlines worldwide gathered over a 12-month period. 

“We’re really pleased with this award because it’s voted for by actual travelers rather than a panel of some sort. Excellent customer experience has always been a key focus area for us, and it’s great to see that focus being recognised.” says Kirby Gordon, Head of Sales and Distribution at FlySafair.

The airline performed well across the ratings categories, scoring particularly high marks under Onboard Experience, Customer Service, Check-in & Boarding, Value for Money and Cleanliness. 

“Congratulations to FlySafair for being named a Travellers Choice Airlines winner yet again for the year 2019. This momentous award recognises FlySafair as Travellers’ favourite airline, based on review data from our community,” says Bryan Saltzburg, Senior Vice President and General Manager for TripAdvisor Flights. “As the airline industry introduces new fare products and a widening array of in-flight offerings, consumers continue to seek out the carriers that deliver value and a quality experience. The Travellers’ Choice awards for airlines recognises outstanding service, world-renowned quality and amazing value, all of which are traits currently exhibited by FlySafair. The airline should be exceedingly proud of their award, as travellers have said that it is their preferred carrier when choosing to fly.”

To read TripAdvisor traveller reviews and opinions of FlySafair, click here.

About FlySafair

FlySafair is a domestic low cost carrier operating in South Africa. Flights are available between OR Tambo, Lanseria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, George, East London and Durban from just R599. FlySafair has serviced over 4 million customers and is ranked the world’s most on-time airline. In 2017 the airline was once again the recipient of ACSA’s “Best Performing Airline” in the low-cost category. FlySafair is also proud to be the Official Domestic Carrier for the Springboks. 
 

About TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel site*, enables travelers to unleash the full potential of every trip. With over 600 million reviews and opinions covering the world's largest selection of travel listings worldwide – covering approximately 7.5 million accommodations, airlines, attractions, and restaurants -- TripAdvisor provides travelers with the wisdom of the crowds to help them decide where to stay, how to fly, what to do and where to eat. TripAdvisor also compares prices from more than 200 hotel booking sites so travelers can find the lowest price on the hotel that's right for them. TripAdvisor-branded sites are available in 49 markets, and are home to the world's largest travel community of 455 million average monthly unique visitors**, all looking to get the most out of every trip. TripAdvisor: Know better. Book better. Go better.

The subsidiaries and affiliates of TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP) own and operate a portfolio of websites under 20 other travel media brands:

www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.citymaps.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, www.iens.nl and www.dimmi.com.au), www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com and www.viator.com.

* Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, October 2017
** Source: TripAdvisor log files, average monthly unique visitors, Q3 2017

19 November 2018, Johannesburg – FlySafair was named Aircraft Operator of the Year at the South African Civil Aviation Excellence Awards held at The Galleria in Sandton on November 16.

FlySafair CEO, Elmar Conradie, was full of praise for the high-performing team at FlySafair, saying that awards and achievements of this caliber are only possible when each and every team member is committed to excellence in everything they do. “I’m privileged to work with such an outstanding group of people - well done to the entire team,” he said. 

This is the first time that the South African Civil Aviation Authority has hosted an awards ceremony of this nature, with the launch coinciding with the organisation’s 20^th anniversary. “Never before has there been an initiative to acknowledge the contributions of the individuals and companies across all sectors of aviation in South Africa,” said Ms Poppy Koza, who leads the SACAA as the Director of Civil Aviation (CEO).

Awards were issued across various categories, including Aviation Safety, Aviation Security, Aviation Innovation, Aviation Transformation and an Airport Achievement Award.

In addition to taking home top honours in the Aircraft Operator of the Year category, FlySafair was also named a finalist in the Aviation Safety category and took second place to business jet charter company, ExecuJet, in the Aviation Customer Services category. 

“We’re exceptionally proud to be honoured with such prestigious awards and would like to thank the South African Civil Aviation Authority. Having the hard work and dedication of our remarkable teams acknowledged on this level is hugely appreciated,” commented Conradie.

About FlySafair

FlySafair is a domestic low cost carrier operating in South Africa. Flights are available between OR Tambo, Lanseria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, George, East London and Durban from just R599. FlySafair has serviced over 4 million customers and is ranked the world’s most on-time airline. In 2017 the airline was once again the recipient of ACSA’s “Best Performing Airline” in the low-cost category. FlySafair is also proud to be the Official Domestic Carrier for the Springboks.

Safair can confirm that there was a small brush fire that started this afternoon at about 4pm near our head office premises at OR Tambo International Airport. These offices are situated in the unscheduled carrier section of the Airport Facility away from the main terminal. Fires are naturally a matter of great concern within the airport environment, and as such, this fire was fully addressed by the ORT fire services, and completely extinguished by approximately 4:30pm. Causes and damages are still under investigation but no foul play is expected.

FlySafair continues to build on its legacy of industry-firsts, launching Express Check-In

11 September 2018 – Johannesburg - FlySafair has launched Express Check-In, a new technology that allows the airline to service passengers more quickly than ever before.  

Express Check-In, which has already been rolled out at all the airports from which FlySafair operates, enables the airline’s queue combers to check-in those passengers without checked-in luggage before they even reach the check-in counter. 

“Helping passengers stick to their tight schedules has always been a massive priority for FlySafair. It’s this mission that drove us to be named the Most On-Time Airline in the World in 2017 by airline data specialist, OAG, and now sees us develop the capability to check passengers in while they are still queuing,” says Kirby Gordon, Head of Sales and Distribution at FlySafair.  

The innovative new check-in technology was developed in conjunction with Blue Market Retail Solutions, the same company that partnered FlySafair in becoming the first airline to offer card transactions on all its flights using ground-breaking POS technology. 

Using this same technology, FlySafair attendants can search for the passenger’s flight ticket using their reference number, surname or date of birth, and then produce their boarding pass directly from the device. 

Designated queue combers will be easy for passengers to spot as they will be wearing pink sashes to identify them.

“This solution will play a major role in helping to reduce queuing times, especially at airports like George where wait times can be problematic,” says Theron Uys, Director of Business Development at BlueMarket Retail Solutions. “In true FlySafair style, the airline continues to challenge what can be done within the aviation sphere. It truly is one of the most dynamic and innovative companies we’ve come across,” he adds. 

FlySafair is proud of its reputation for industry-firsts. “To the best of our knowledge we’re the first airline in South Africa to offer passengers this service and we are confident that it will make travelling much more convenient for our customers,” comments Gordon.  

About FlySafair

FlySafair is a domestic low cost carrier operating in South Africa. Flights are available between OR Tambo, Lanseria, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, George, East London and Durban from just R599. FlySafair has serviced over 4 million customers and is ranked the world’s most on-time airline. In 2017 the airline was once again the recipient of ACSA’s “Best Performing Airline” in the low-cost category. FlySafair is also proud to be the Official Domestic Carrier for the Springboks. 

Johannesburg – 17 May 2018. Low-cost airline FlySafair, again today hosted one of their massive blow-out sales, where they sold over 30 000 flight tickets for just R4 including airport taxes. The company started this annual tradition in 2015 when they sold the same number of tickets for just R1 each and South Africans have been waiting with baited breath every year since.

As per last year the airline created a “waiting room” where visitors were held and released onto the Flysafair website in small batches so as to protect the site from crashing.

“We’re thrilled that the site held up so well, because the volume of traffic that this sale generates is absolutely incredible” says Kirby Gordon, Head of Sales and Distribution at FlySafair.

The doors to this digital waiting room opened for the first group of customers at 9am and tickets sold incredibly quickly. Just before 11:30 the airline announced that the tickets were all sold out.

“By 11:30 we’d sold 32 758 tickets for just R4, bringing the days sales totals to just over thirty-eight thousand when factoring in the full fare tickets that people also purchased”.

As per previous years, Twitter was littered with posts from various people bragging about their bargains as well as those bemoaning the fact that they weren’t getting picked from the waiting room to enter the site.

“At one stage we were looking at over 260 000 users sitting in our waiting room”.

The airline also fielded over 2700 calls to their call center, managed over 3400 whatsapps, and dealt with more than 2400 Facebook and Twitter comments and questions.

“It’s a big day for us, but when you get the messages afterward from people who wouldn’t have otherwise been able to fly, it makes it all worthwhile. We also love how incredibly creative and funny people on Twitter are, we get send some of the most fantastic memes” says Gordon.

About FlySafair

Taking flight for the first time in October 2014, FlySafair has fast become a leading domestic low-cost carrier in South Africa. The airline has a fleet of 14 Boeing aircraft that operate flights to Cape Town, Johannesburg, Lanseria, Durban, George, Port Elizabeth and East London. FlySafair was also rated the most on-time airline in the world for the last two seasons running and received the 2017 TripAdviser Customer Choice Award for the best airline in Africa and Indian Ocean region.

Dear Customers

This morning saw an issue at OR Tambo International Airport's Terminal B where the entire luggage belt conveyer system was offline meaning that all luggage that passed through the airport's security infrastructure had to be processed manually. The result was that several aircraft departing OR Tambo, across all airlines, were delayed.

As you know, we pride ourselves on being the most on-time airline in the world and facing delays of this nature is incredibly frustrating to us. Our teams have been working since the early morning exploring and implementing every plan we can to get our passengers away with minimal delay and impact to luggage movements.

Of course, while we have done what we can, we realise that you have been delayed and frustrated and for that we offer our humble apologies. If you have a flight later today and need to discuss any possible changes, please don't hestitate to call us for help on 087 135 1351.

For more information on the various delays please refer to our travel updates page.

Kind regards,

The FlySafair Management Team

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – 10 April, 2018 – FlySafair has officially been named Best Airline Africa and Indian Ocean in the 2018 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice™ awards for Airlines. The airline also walked away with the Best Economy Class award in the same region.

The Travellers’ Choice Awards highlight the world’s top carriers based on the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for airlines worldwide gathered over a 12-month period.

“FlySafair is extremely proud to have been ranked number one in the Travellers’ Choice awards – particularly because this is a reflection of what our passengers feel about us. When FlySafair first launched in 2014, we set ourselves the task of championing air access for all South Africans by providing an affordable and reliable service. To have travellers acknowledge FlySafair for these exact traits, gives us confidence that we are on the right track,” says Kirby Gordon, Head of Sales and Distribution at FlySafair.

Indeed, words which travellers most frequently use to describe FlySafair, include “always on time”, “value for money”, “better rates” and “friendly staff”. The airline performed well across the ratings categories scoring particularly high marks under Value for Money and Cleanliness.

“We’re thrilled to recognise the global TripAdvisor community’s favorite airlines and shine a spotlight on the carriers around the world that provide the very best flying experiences, including FlySafair,” says Bryan Saltzburg, Senior Vice President and General Manager for TripAdvisor Flights. “As the airline industry introduces new fare products and a widening array of in-flight offerings, consumers continue to seek out the carriers that deliver value and a quality experience. The Travellers’ Choice awards for airlines recognise the carriers that exceed passenger expectations and receive top marks from travellers.”

In the three and a half years since FlySafair began operation, the airline has done much to dispel the notion that a budget service somehow entails lower quality. In fact, the airline has maintained its ranking from OAG as the most on-time airline in the world for two years running and the confidence this has instilled in travellers has been telling. President Cyril Ramaphosa himself was recently spotted flying with FlySafair, entrusting the airline with his tight schedule.  

To read TripAdvisor traveller reviews and opinions of FlySafair, go to https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Airline_Review-d10661141-Reviews-FlySafair.