Qatar Airways-backed airline Airlink has defended a double flypast it performed over a South Africa versus New Zealand rugby match in Cape Town.
Two passenger jets flew above DHL Stadium during the Springboks and All Blacks Test match, sparking significant debate online about the safety of the manoeuvre.
Flight tracking website Flightradar24 stated that one of the two planes cleared the arena’s roof by less than 15 metres during the pass.
The airline’s parent company, SA Airlink Pty Ltd, pushed back against criticism, insisting the stunt was carried out within approved parameters.
The company stated the manoeuvre was conducted with “approved and rehearsed safety altitude and speed limits for the flypast,” defending its pilots and planning process.
“The two aircraft were flown by highly experienced crew, with each comprised of three senior captains operating in the roles of commander, co-pilot and safety/technical officer,” the airline said.
Airlink had already performed a similar two-plane flypast at the first Test match in the four-game series between the Springboks and All Blacks.
The series, dubbed Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry, is a month-long competition akin to the British and Irish Lions tours, and is currently level at 1-1.
New Zealand took an early lead in the series with a 33-16 victory over the Springboks in Johannesburg, before South Africa levelled things up with a 33-26 win in Cape Town.
The third Test will take place in Johannesburg, with a fourth match scheduled at Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium later in the series.
Airlink is set to perform a third flypast this weekend at the 95,000-capacity FNB Stadium in Soweto ahead of the upcoming Test match.
South Africa has a notable history of commercial passenger aircraft flypasts at rugby matches, with a South African Airways Boeing 747 famously flying over Ellis Park ahead of the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
Such flypasts are not uncommon at major sporting events globally, though in countries like the United States they more typically involve military jets rather than commercial aircraft.