A strike by FlySafair pilots has led to the abrupt cancellation of flights both into and out of Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport in Gqeberha.
Among the 26 scheduled services scrapped on Monday nationally, a 1.30pm FlySafair flight to Cape Town was cancelled at the Gqeberha airport.
The airline has been faced with disruptions to its flights around the country after a deadlock in wage negotiations with pilots.
The Solidarity trade union said more than 200 pilots affiliated to it wanted a 10% salary increase and improved working conditions.
They have rejected the airline's offer to workers of a 5.7% salary increase and adjustments to compensation.
At the Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport, travellers boarding a 10.20am flight to Johannesburg said no delays had been communicated to them and they expected the flight to depart on time.
Mkhulumi Kriega said he checked his flight the night before and was hoping for the best.
“Nothing was communicated to me about any potential cancellation so unless something happens on the other side [of the boarding gate] I expect to fly out by 10.30am,” he said.
Gerhard Junius who flew in to Gqeberha for a business meeting on an early morning flight from Johannesburg with his colleagues, said he was hoping there would be no change to his 1.30pm return flight.
“We are in here for a major automotive meeting, so the hope is that we can fly out afterwards with no problems.
“None of us have received any notifications of changes so we hope it will stay that way,” he said.
In a statement issued at 11pm on Sunday, the airline said while its contingency plans should ensure flight operations continued largely as scheduled on Monday, “unfortunately a quantity of flights have had to be cancelled”.
“The flights were assigned to pilots who had confirmed their availability to fly, but who late last night reported they would not fly.
“All other flights are operating as planned, and affected customers have been contacted directly using details provided at the time of booking. Should there be further disruptions, customers will be notified promptly.”
The Herald
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