Two Airlink passenger jets flew within about 46ft of the roof of a packed Cape Town stadium during a pre-match flypast that sparked concerns among spectators and aviation enthusiasts.
The Embraer aircraft passed over DHL Stadium on Saturday, August 29, shortly before South Africa faced New Zealand in the second Test of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
Video footage showed the green and black jets crossing above the venue as coloured pyrotechnics were released from the roof. From some angles, the aircraft appeared close enough to the stadium for their tails or wings to graze the structure.
An analysis by flight-tracking service Flightradar24 estimated that the lead aircraft passed between 41ft and 46ft above the top of the stadium. The calculation was based on tracking data, local atmospheric pressure and the stadium’s height, which is approximately 164ft.
The two aircraft were an Embraer E190, registered ZS-YAE, and an Embraer E195, registered ZS-YDE. They had been given special green and black liveries reflecting the colours of the competing teams and carrying the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry branding.
The flypast was organised by Airlink, the official domestic airline partner of the 2026 tour. The carrier is also transporting the South African and New Zealand squads, coaches and support staff between matches in the country.
Airlink said on Sunday that the display had been carefully planned and rehearsed. The aircraft were travelling at about 150 knots, it said, and the operation had received guidance, approval and support from the South African Civil Aviation Authority and Air Traffic Navigation Services.
Each aircraft carried three senior captains, serving as commander, co-pilot and safety or technical officer, according to the airline.
Airlink added that flight data from both aircraft showed the flypast had remained within the altitude and speed limits approved and rehearsed by the civil aviation authority.
The statement followed a wave of reaction online, with some viewers describing the display as “dangerous”, “unnecessary” and “moronic”. Others defended it as a carefully executed spectacle, while the New Zealand team posted footage online with the words: “That’s impressive.”
The flypast was promoted by Airlink after the event with the message: “Planning. Precision. Performance.”
Although the aircraft appeared alarmingly close to the stadium in some recordings, there was no reported collision, injury or disruption. The match itself ended with South Africa beating New Zealand 33-26, levelling the four-match series.
Low-level aircraft displays have featured at major South African rugby events for decades, including the 1995 Rugby World Cup final. The latest flypast nevertheless drew particular attention because it involved regional passenger jets passing over a stadium holding tens of thousands of spectators.
