FlySafair Cabin Crew Strike Again As Wage Talks Hit Turbulence

South Africa’s busiest airline is once again navigating industrial turbulence after wage negotiations between FlySafair and the South African Cabin Crew Association (SACCA) collapsed. Despite the overnight strike by some crew members, the carrier insists that flights are running as normal and fully crewed.

Talks Collapse After Weeks Of Tension

According to FlySafair, the strike began at midnight after SACCA rejected the airline’s latest compensation offer. The proposal reportedly included a 5.7% salary increase, a 7.5% annual bonus, pay progression, and extra monthly allowances. While those numbers are above South Africa’s current 3.4% inflation rate, union leaders say the standoff goes deeper than percentages.

SACCA’s deputy president, Christopher Shabangu, explained that the dispute centres on how the airline compensates staff for a “lunch-hour sacrifice” a long-standing issue that has left some crew members feeling underappreciated and overworked.

Legal Questions And Labour Guidance

Beyond wages, SACCA has also raised questions about the interpretation of specific sections of the Labour Relations Act. Both parties have agreed to seek clarification from the Department of Labour, though FlySafair has stressed that these legal points are not the direct cause of the current strike.

“The core issue is about compensation and about members feeling heard,” said Kirby Gordon, the airline’s chief marketing officer. He added that FlySafair plans to approach the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to help mediate discussions, given the broader public interest at stake.

A Familiar Challenge For The Airline

This isn’t FlySafair’s first labour dispute in 2025. The airline, which controls roughly 60% of South Africa’s domestic air travel market and carries around 30,000 passengers daily, only recently ended a 12-day standoff with its pilots in August after striking a deal on wages and work schedules.

Now, just months later, the company faces renewed pressure from another segment of its workforce a reminder that even South Africa’s most punctual low-cost carrier can’t always avoid turbulence on the ground.

{Source:Business Tech}

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