FlySafair pilots reject salary offer amid growing dissatisfaction

While salary negotiations between FlySafair and the trade union Solidarity remain at a standstill, pilots have expressed their deep dissatisfaction with the airline's management.

FlySafair presented a final offer of a 5.7% salary increase, accompanied by some additional adjustments to compensation; however, this proposal was firmly rejected.

Solidarity Deputy Secretary General, Heldard Cronjé, said there is a growing sense of neglect and burnout among members, and a crumbling relationship between crew and management.

“Working conditions have deteriorated, with flight schedules leading to serious exhaustion for our members. Pilots have warned that the current situation is not sustainable,” he said. 

Cronjé said Solidarity’s demands are not unreasonable and call for fairness, respect, and transparency to restore trust in FlySafair’s management. 

“The breach of trust between crew and management has reached a critical point where the future of many pilots at FlySafair is uncertain,” Cronjé said.

Solidarity’s survey among FlySafair pilots reveals a serious deterioration in labour relations and working conditions. Pilots describe a work environment in which they feel overworked, underpaid, and ignored.

The flight rosters, previously considered a benefit, have also declined, and the ongoing exhaustion caused by unsustainable scheduling is viewed as a direct safety risk. Nearly 84% of approximately 200 Solidarity members rejected FlySafair’s current offer, reflecting the pilots’ deep disappointment and frustration.

One pilot said: “With the current relationship between the crew and FlySafair management, I no longer see a long-term future for myself at the airline. Added to this, the erosion of experience at the airline leads me to believe personally that if I do not stand up for myself now, something worse is going to happen”. 

“The job that I accepted at FlySafair and what I currently have are completely different. It just doesn't make sense anymore. We, as pilots, are still earning 10% less than pre-pandemic levels, despite the fact that Covid-19 is long behind us and the airline is now thriving. The recovery has happened – just not for us. The plea is not for excess, but for fairness:

"What we’re asking for is not unreasonable. It’s fair, justified, and necessary. Meanwhile, management continues to show a worrisome disconnect from the realities faced by its flight crew. Morale is eroding, and so too is experience – something that directly affects safety and operational integrity,” another pilot said. 

One of the pilots called for the airline to put staff and safety first, instead of profits. 

“The management must begin to prioritise safety and the wellbeing of their crew over profits and personal bonuses. The long-term sustainability of the airline depends not just on financial performance, but on the health, stability and experience of the people who keep it operating safely every day. In the interest of transparency and accountability, we call on the management team to publicly disclose their annual bonus structures so that all can see how leadership decisions are being incentivised,” a pilot demanded. 

Cronjé said FlySafair’s cold, clinical approach is one that seems to be obsessed with percentages, costs, and profits and it is precisely what led to this breach of trust. 

“The question must be asked: What is FlySafair without its pilots?” he asked. 

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