FlySafair challenges Air Services Council in court over local licencing rules

Stephen Grootes speaks to Phutego Mojapele, aviation expert. 

Listen to the interview in the audio player below.

Local airline FlySafair has taken South Africa’s International Air Services Council (IASC) to court over its findings that the airline's shareholding is illegal.

Under South African law, a domestic airline needs to be 75% owned by South Africans.

Irish-based ASL Aviation Holdings has a 74.86% stake in FlySafair, which may breach foreign control limitations.

The IASC are expected to make a ruling by the end of November on what action the airline will need to take to avoid having its international licence suspended.

Speaking to Stephen Grootes on The Money Show, aviation expert Phutego Mojapele says FlySafair would need to produce compelling legal evidence against the claims. 

"When this matter was ventilated, clearly there were signs that were showing that they are in contravention with the law."

- Phutego Mojapele, aviation expert

"Even from the beginning when they started these processes, it was quite clear the evidence that was produced... to justify the fact that, why they are saying Safair is not compliant."

- Phutego Mojapele, aviation expert

"...I don't seem to understand why would it be at this time, they think that the chairperson might have read the regulation wrong. I doubt it." 

- Phutego Mojapele, aviation expert

Scroll to the top of the article to listen to the full interview.