FlySafair pilots prepare for strike amid wage, rostering disputes, threatening South African domestic air travel

SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa’s domestic aviation sector faces a critical challenge as FlySafair’s pilots, represented by the Solidarity union, prepare for a potential strike over unresolved wage negotiations and rostering issues.

Over 100 pilots have rejected the airline’s 5.7% wage increase offer, demanding a 10.5% raise and inflation-linked adjustments in subsequent years to address soaring living costs and industry standards.

This stalemate comes after more than three months of failed talks, with tensions escalating due to concerns around inflexible rostering systems, unproductive rest days, and deteriorating work-life balance.

FlySafair controls nearly 60% of the domestic seat capacity in South Africa, making this dispute especially consequential.

Any industrial action risks grounding flights nationwide, disrupting travel for thousands of passengers and exerting additional pressure on the country’s already strained aviation infrastructure.

The airline has proactively adjusted selected flights scheduled between July 22 and 28, 2025, notifying affected customers and offering no-cost rebookings to mitigate operational disruptions.

Solidarity deputy general secretary Helgard Cronje outlined broader grievances beyond wages, highlighting the pilots’ frustration over management’s rigid shift scheduling and the airline’s policies on leave and days off, which pilots argue undermine their quality of life.

Cronje described the relationship between pilots and management as reaching a critical low, with trust severely eroded and pilot morale deteriorating amid perceived management focus on profits over people.

The union also warned that the contentious shift roster could trigger separate strike action if unresolved.

FlySafair’s leadership, while acknowledging the pilots’ legal right to strike, emphasized the company’s commitment to safety, operational continuity, and ongoing dialogue.

The airline reassured customers that contingency plans are in place to minimize disruption and that flight operations remain compliant with all aviation safety regulations.

Chief Marketing Officer Kirby Gordon expressed respect for employees’ rights but stressed the need to balance staff demands with business viability during this challenging period.

Negotiations overseen by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) reached a deadlock, culminating in the issuance of a strike certificate that legally authorizes protected industrial action following a 72-hour notice period.

The airline also faces simultaneous salary negotiations with cabin crew, who may follow pilots with related industrial action if agreements are not reached, further compounding risks to South Africa’s domestic flight capacity.

With the airline providing a major portion of the country’s short-haul air connectivity, the unfolding strike would disrupt travel for countless passengers, impede business and leisure plans, and deepen pressures on an aviation sector already grappling with volatility.

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