The low flight of Airlink airline planes over the DHL stadium in Cape Town sparked mixed reactions in the online community during the match between the South African Springboks and the All Blacks. While some social media users expressed concern, for others it was just a typical weekend event.
This two-plane flight was organized as part of preparations for a series of matches taking place at the DHL stadium in Cape Town, and according to FlightRadar24 analysis, the planes passed less than 50 feet above the stadium roof.
Mixed Reactions
International media covered the incident differently. The British publication Daily Mail used a dramatic headline: 'Moment when two planes almost collided with crowded sports stadium during spectacular pre-match flypast.' Meanwhile, 7News Sydney from Australia reported: 'Stunning flypast over packed stadium sparks wave of discussion: it's not AI.'
Some social media users voiced opinions on potential danger. Russell Labuschagne stated: 'Shocking! The tail of the lead plane barely cleared the stadium roof.' Arthur Niemeyer noted that given the planes' length of about 30 meters, the lower plane was approximately 10 meters above or even below the roof, emphasizing the lack of any safety margin, stating that the pilots 'dodged a bullet.'
Commentators on IOL highlighted the high level of pilot training. Sonya Kronhe joked: 'Give this pilot a medal, he knows how to fly,' while Stan Mda joked that next time the pilot should land the plane on the field. Arthur de Lange asked about the number of aviation accidents in South Africa compared to other countries, then added, 'guess who knows how to fly.' Elizabeth Maris shared that she would like to be at the stadium during the flypast, calling it 'wonderful' for spectators and pilots.
Airlink Defends Approved Flypast
Nevertheless, Airlink airline stated that the management, approval, and support to ensure the safe execution of the flypast were provided by the South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) and Air Traffic Navigation Services.
The airline specified that both planes were operated by highly qualified crews, with each aircraft having three senior captains serving as commander, second pilot, and technical/safety expert. Airlink also reported that the flight data recorded by both planes confirms that the flypast was conducted within the altitude and speed restrictions approved and rehearsed by SACAA.