FlySafair slammed for allegedly refusing CCMA mediation as strike strands passengers
Image: Supplied
Scores of FlySafair passengers were left stranded on Monday morning as pilots embarked on a strike over wages and working conditions.
According to union Solidarity, which is representing the aggrieved pilots, the airline is refusing to partake in a mediation process initiated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
'The CCMA has offered its help in terms of section 150 of the Labour Relations Act (No. 66 of 1995) to resolve the dispute between Solidarity and FlySafair. Solidarity has formally agreed to the CCMA process, but by the end of the weekend FlySafair was still refusing to agree to it,' Solidarity said in a statement released on Monday morning.
IOL has reached out to FlySafair for commentary on the CCMA matter.
FlySafair said it cancelled 8% of its flights on Monday after pilots who had previously indicated their availability to fly, instead joined the two-week strike.
Airports Company South Africa said it was aware of the ongoing operational disruptions affecting FlySafair flights on Monday and said it has implemented contingency measures to minimise disruptions.
'While a number of flights have been cancelled, the majority of FlySafair services are operating as scheduled, and airport operations continue as normal,' ACSA said.
The airports company said passengers should contact FlySafair directly for flight-specific updates and use the ACSA Mobile App for live flight notifications.
Talks in deadlock after a weekend of no progress
Solidarity said the strike was initially meant to last for one day, to get FlySafair to the negotiating table. But it said the airline then responded by locking out the pilots for seven days.
'We welcome the CCMA's intervention. The disruption of an airline is a matter of national interest. Such disruption must be avoided. Our aim with the one-day strike notice was to get FlySafair to the negotiating table,' Solidarity commented.
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'We were prepared to do everything possible over the weekend to prevent the disruption and find a solution with the help of the CCMA. Instead of coming to the table, FlySafair escalated the disruption by locking out the pilots for at least seven days.'
Pilot pay is competitive, FlySafair says
Solidarity has accused FlySafair of having an 'aggressive business style', leading to around 90% of its members voting in favour of a strike.
Solidarity is demanding a 10.5% increase for 2025/26, with pilots claiming they're still earning 10% less than pre-pandemic levels. However, FlySafair says that this would amount to a cost-to-company increase of more than 20% once additional demands had been factored in, which it says is an unsustainable escalation for any company. The airline has offered its pilots an 'above inflation' increase of 5.7%.
FlySafair maintains that its pilots are among the best-compensated professionals in South Africa, with captains earning between R1.8 million and R2.3 million per year, placing them within the country's top 1% of earners. These salaries are regularly benchmarked against those at other local airlines and are higher than most, the airline said.
Responding to accusations that pilots were overworked, FlySafair said its captains spent an average of 63 hours in the cockpit last month, which is well within regulatory limits set by the Civil Aviation Authority, IATA and ICAO, which cap flight duty at 100 hours per month.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned to IOL for further updates.
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'Therefore, we ask: is it too much to request a single weekend a month with our families? Is it too much to ask for a say in the systems that determine how we live our lives? Is it unreasonable to expect that our pay reflects our work and responsibilities? Is it not in the public's interest to ensure their pilots are well-rested and motivated?' The pilots apologised to the public, whose travel plans had been disrupted. 'This is not something we ever wanted. But we cannot protect you in the air if we are not protected on the ground. This is about the sustainability of the profession, the well-being of those flying your aircraft, and the future of aviation in South Africa. 'The airline's pilots are not asking for the sun and the moon. 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This body, it said, would have the power to test and refine proposed scheduling rules in a live environment before implementation. 'We had hoped that our proposal which was designed to give pilots a meaningful say in shaping their roster parameters would be well received,' said Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair. 'We're disappointed that Solidarity has chosen not to pursue this collaborative approach.' However, Solidarity said it believes that such a committee, as proposed by the airline, would not give the pilots sufficient power in the process. FlySafair said on Monday that it continues to operate a 'stable but reduced' flight schedule as the new week begins, with more pilots returning to duty each day. Details of the next negotiation meeting, involving the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), have yet to be released.
