Airlink Cancels Springboks-All Blacks Flypast as Regulator Reviews Cape Town Display

South African airline Airlink has cancelled a planned formation flypast before Saturday’s rugby Test between the Springboks and All Blacks in Johannesburg. Reuters reported that the carrier withdrew its application for the display while South Africa’s aviation regulator examines a separate flypast staged before last weekend’s meeting between the same teams in Cape Town.

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Airlink said on Wednesday that forecasts indicated conditions would be unfavourable for a safe formation flight over FNB Stadium. The venue, also known as Soccer City, is due to host the next match in the four-Test series between South Africa and New Zealand. The airline’s decision means the proposed repeat display will not go ahead.

The cancellation coincides with a compliance verification by the South African Civil Aviation Authority, known as SACAA, into Airlink’s August 29 flypast above DHL Stadium. The regulator has not announced a finding. SACAA executive Phindiwe Gwebu said the review is intended to establish whether the crew followed all required safety protocols.

That Cape Town display involved two Airlink Embraer aircraft flying in formation over the packed stadium shortly before the second Test began. According to flight-tracking service Flightradar24, the lead aircraft passed less than 50 feet, or about 15 metres, above the top of the stadium. The unusual altitude attracted widespread attention after footage circulated on social media.

SACAA said it is analysing downloads from the aircraft’s flight data recorders, which Airlink supplied voluntarily. The authority has also requested further information from the airline before it reaches a conclusion. That process remains open, and the regulator’s decision on whether the Cape Town operation complied with applicable safety requirements has yet to be made public.

Airlink maintains that the August 29 flypast was conducted safely. The airline said the crews included three senior captains whose combined flying experience totals 75,000 hours. Chief executive De Villiers Engelbrecht acknowledged public enthusiasm for another display but said the Johannesburg weather forecast did not support a safe formation flypast this weekend.

The aviation scrutiny forms the backdrop to another major rugby occasion at FNB Stadium. South Africa and New Zealand are level at 1-1 in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series heading into Saturday’s match in Soweto, giving the third Test added significance even without the planned aerial display.