Turbulence is being felt far beyond airport runways as the FlySafair pilots’ strike enters its second week.
Small tourism businesses are grappling with cancelled bookings, delayed arrivals and anxious clients due to South Africa’s busiest low-cost airline running a reduced schedule.
While passengers scramble to rebook or get refunds, it is the ripple effect on SMEs, especially those in the tourism value chain, that are exposing just how fragile the sector remains.
Nomonde Tshagala, who is the director at Hamboluhle Travels in KwaZulu-Natal, said her agency has spent the last week fielding panicked calls from travellers.
“Clients seek refunds and travel alternatives. We needed to make sure they were assisted, whether getting their money back or rebooking with other flights,” said Tshagala.
Although her business does not rely solely on flight bookings, she noted that FlySafair remained a preferred option.
“It is clean, affordable and reliable; we usually recommend it to our clients.”
For Black Pearl Tours, a Gauteng-based operator that works closely with both domestic and international visitors, the fallout has been more noticeable.
“We have definitely been affected,” said Lethabo Temogo, the company’s marketing and communication coordinator.
“Flight disruptions have led to many delayed arrivals and some last-minute cancellations. That makes it very hard for us to plan and use our resources efficiently.”
Local travel bookings have taken a slight knock too, as clients either postpone trips or pull out altogether.
“That obviously impacts our revenue,” Temogo said.
To stay afloat, Black Pearl is adapting its strategy, adjusting travel schedules around erratic flight times and ramping up marketing to local eventgoers who do not require air travel.
Still, Temogo believes industry-wide support is needed.
“Tourism bodies could really assist with promotional campaigns or even financial relief for businesses affected by the strike,” he said.
At Fumani Lodge in Limpopo, where many guests fly in from cities like Cape Town and Durban, the impact has been manageable but worrying.
“Our business has been affected,” said Akesa Mokhare, the lodge’s marketing manager.
“We have seen cancellations and postponements directly linked to the strike. Guests are having to replan or delay because of the disruptions.
“If the situation remains unresolved, we may see a more significant drop in bookings and revenue.”
Fumani Lodge has begun shifting its marketing towards road-trip travellers and is helping guests rebook their dates.
Still, Mokhare has a simple plea: “We urge all parties to find common ground. Continued disruption threatens the broader tourism sector, especially small businesses like ours.”
FlySafair, which accounts for over 60% of South Africa’s domestic flight capacity, has had to cancel flights and reduce seat availability amid the ongoing dispute with pilots over pay and work schedules.
