Airline cancels plans for repeat of South Africa vs New Zealand flyover stunt as investigation launched

Airlink has withdrawn plans to repeat a flyover over Soweto after South African aviation authorities opened an investigation into last weekend’s low-altitude formation pass over Cape Town’s DHL Stadium, a move that drew safety concerns. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) said it obtained flight data recordings and requested additional information from Airlink as part of its assessment. It plans to issue a full report with recommendations after the review. The regulator said it was critical to examine the events to determine whether safety issues warranted a formal reassessment. Airlink said the maneuver was carefully planned and rehearsed, with three senior captains aboard and more than 75,000 combined flight hours. The Aug. 29 Springboks–All Blacks flyover drew an estimated 56,000 spectators and debate online.