Airlink cancels stadium flyby as cut-off low approaches
The South African Weather Service has warned of heavy rain, damaging winds, rough seas and a sharp temperature drop from Thursday.
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Weather Forecast Grounds the Flypast
Regional airline Airlink has withdrawn its application to fly over FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on Saturday, saying an unfavourable weather forecast means conditions will not be suited to a safe formation flyby.
The airline told eNCA the flight was to have been the third and final display ahead of a rugby Test match between South Africa's Springboks and New Zealand's All Blacks.
"We're sorry to disappoint fans and supporters, but safety comes first, and we're also certain the players will provide more than enough on-field excitement," Airlink said in a statement.
Cut-Off Low Warning
The South African Weather Service has warned of a major change in conditions from Thursday, with a cut-off low expected to move across parts of South Africa. A cut-off low is a weather system that can stall over an area and produce prolonged rain.
According to the weather service, the system could bring heavy and disruptive rainfall, damaging winds, rough seas and a significant drop in temperatures.
The sources do not say which provinces are expected to be worst affected, or how long the system is forecast to last.
Scrutiny of the Cape Town Display
The cancellation follows an earlier flypast on 29 August 2026 over Cape Town's DHL Stadium, before the previous Springboks and All Blacks Test. Daily Maverick reported that Airlink flew a low-altitude double-ship formation, with an Embraer E195 in black livery leading an Embraer E190.
The South African Civil Aviation Authority said the flight was formally approved under provisions for special air events and was not a rogue operation, but it has begun compliance checks to establish whether the crew stayed within the approved flight path.
Daily Maverick reported the aircraft passed with 41 feet of vertical clearance over a stadium holding 56,689 spectators, at 150 knots. Aviation expert Guy Leitch estimated the jets were 40 to 50 feet above the roof and condemned the altitude.
Airline and Industry Responses
Airlink maintains the Cape Town flyby was carefully planned, rehearsed and authorised by Air Traffic Navigation Services, and says it volunteered its flight data recordings to the regulator. The airline said the aircraft were flown by three senior captains with more than 75,000 combined flight hours.
Chris Martinus, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of South Africa, told EWN the risk of an accident was low but that the size of the crowd meant any slip-up could have been disastrous. He noted the standard rule is 3,000 feet above an open-air assembly of people.
EWN reported that more than 94,000 rugby fans had been expecting a repeat display in Johannesburg. Martinus said he hopes flypasts continue at reasonable altitudes.
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