Cape Town – Pilots at FlySafair have received permission to strike as early as Monday, after unions secured a certificate of authorisation from the CCMA, according to The Citizen.
A 72-hour notice is required before the strike can begin.
The airline has announced changes to its flight schedule for the period between Tuesday, 22 July and Monday, 28 July 2025, in anticipation of the possible strike action by its pilots.
According to BusinessTech, FlySafair’s Chief Marketing Officer, Kirby Gordon, said the airline is proactively adjusting selected flights during this period as a precautionary measure.
He added that affected customers will be contacted directly using the details provided at the time of booking.
FlySafair said the move aims to minimise potential disruption should pilots affiliated with the Solidarity trade union proceed with their planned strike.
Pilots at FlySafair, South Africa’s largest domestic airline, are planning to strike due to dissatisfaction with salary offers and worsening working conditions. #AfricanInsider https://t.co/g5DVgkZyhB
— African Insider (@AfricanInsider2) July 17, 2025
The dispute stems from a breakdown in wage and working condition negotiations between FlySafair and unions Solidarity and the Pilot Union.
Solidarity reported that 84% of its members rejected the airline’s final offer of a 5.7% wage increase plus perks, citing poor working conditions and pilot exhaustion.
The union accused management of prioritising profits over staff wellbeing.
FlySafair CEO Kirby Gordon expressed a commitment to ongoing dialogue while balancing business needs.
According to The South African, Gordon, said the airline is doing everything it can to keep passengers informed and reduce inconvenience.
“We have no line of sight as to whether a strike will take place and if so, for how long and to what extent, but we’ve decided to act pre-emptively to ensure that any possible disruptions are minimised,” Gordon said.
The airline, which accounts for around 60% of South Africa’s domestic seat capacity and carries roughly 30,000 passengers a day, has begun directly contacting affected customers. Passengers will be allowed to rebook flights for free using the “Manage Booking” portal on the FlySafair website.
The airline has emphasised that these changes are voluntary for now, but may become necessary should a strike be confirmed.
