US EditionFlySafair scraps some flights amid wage strike, says pilots earn up to R2.3m already
SOUTH AFRICA, JUL 21 – FlySafair pilots rejected a 5.7% wage increase offer, demanding 10.5% plus inflation adjustments, leading to a strike impacting about 8% of flights, union Solidarity said.
- FlySafair canceled at least 26 flights on Monday, 21 July 2025, due to a wage dispute causing a pilots' strike and lockout in South Africa.
- The dispute arose after Solidarity union pilots rejected a 5.7% pay increase and demanded a 10.5% market-related wage adjustment amid stalled negotiations.
- FlySafair pilots, many flying near legal flight hour limits, seek salary rectification for Covid-19 cuts and better rest provisions while the airline claims pilots are well compensated.
- Nearly 90% of FlySafair's 300 pilots voted for strike action, with the airline offering an 11.29% total cost-to-company wage increase described as generous in a low-inflation environment.
- The ongoing dispute and extended lockout may disrupt flights further, though contingency plans aim to keep operations largely on schedule while mediation efforts continue.
31 Articles
31 Articles
FlySafair strike could go up to two weeks – The Mail & Guardian
The strike by FlySafair pilots could last as long as two weeks after the domestic carrier and trade union Solidarity failed to reach a wage increase agreement. The strike kicked off on Monday and was only meant to last a day, but after 90% of pilots represented by Solidarity decided the join the action, the airline “decided to escalate the dispute and indicated that they would lock out the pilots for a period of seven days”, the union said in a …
The numbers behind the strike: How much do FlySafair pilots earn?
FlySafair is facing turbulence, but not in the sky. The current pilot strike has pushed the airline into the spotlight, with many asking: How much do FlySafair pilots actually earn? According to the company, captains earn between R1.8 million and R2.3 million per year, which places them among the top 1% of earners in South Africa. Some even out-earn members of the airline’s own executive committee. Industry-leading salaries for pilots According …
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