FlySafair is a South African budget carrier based in Johannesburg. I had the opportunity to take a pre-dawn flight on FlySafair from Cape Town to Durban.
FlySafair 737-800 Review (CPT-DUR)
I joined the trip rather late in the game and booked my ticket two nights before for $125 from CPT to DUR. Had I booked further in advance, my ticket could have cost less than half that price.
While FlySafair, a subsidiary of Safair, does not have a real business class, it does offer a pseudo business class in rows 1 and 2 where the middle seat is blocked (much like business class within Europe) and a snack and beverage (from the economy class buy onboard menu) is included.
Check-In
FlySafair has a mobile app and fairly easy-to-use website, but I was unable to check in online, ostensibly because there were no seats left to assign (I was offered the chance to pre-book a seat for $9-29 when booking, but declined). When I checked in, the seat map showed every seat assigned.
I was not worried, though. I figured there were probably some blocked seats plus there would be a large no-show factor for a 6:00 am flight. Sure enough, while checking in at at the airport I was immediately assigned a window seat in row three. Score!
We arrived early, just to be safe, and ended up with plenty of time to spend in the Bidvest Lounge (via Priority Pass, though FlySafair does sell access to this lounge as well).
Boarding commenced at 5:30 am from gate A9 and we were among the last to board.
FlySafair (FA) 160
Cape Town (CPT) – Durban (DUR)
Tuesday, July 19
Depart: 6:00 AM
Arrive: 8:05 AM
Duration: 02 hr, 05 min
Distance: 795 miles
Aircraft: Boeing 737-800
Seat: 3F (Economy Class)
A flight attendant offered a very cheerful greeting for such an early hour and I found my seat quickly in row three. I’m not sure if there were standbys or if everyone just showed up, but the flight went out full.
The captain greeted us over the PA and announced a flight time of 1 hour, 47 minutes and smooth skies enroute to King Shaka International Airport in Durban.
Seat
It felt like Ryanair, with the safety card plastered on the tray table in front of you. The 737-800 had 189 seats aboard with 30 inches of pitch and 17 inches wide. The configuration is a standard 3-3.
Row one on the port side and row two on the starboard side are bulkhead seats and have extra legroom. The emergency exit rows (16 and 17) also have extra legroom.
Lavatory
After a few cups of coffee before the flight, I got up to use the lavatory in the rear. A standard (very dated) 737-800 lavatory, but clean.
Food + Drink
FlySafair offers snacks and drinks for purchase. Here is the menu:
I ordered a bottle of sparkling water, more for the road once we landed than for onboard. I thought the prices were very reasonable for an airline. Note, the coffee was powdered (I asked).
IFE + Wi-Fi
This aircraft had no in-flight-entertainment, wi-fi, or power outlets.
I enjoyed watching the Southern stars outside my window and then the sunrise:
CONCLUSION
This was my first time flying FlySafair and I give the 737-800 a good review. I knew I was booking on a budget carrier and appreciated that the flight landed safely and on time…that’s about all I can ask for.
flySafair has basically taken a model pioneered in SA by 1Time, Kulula and Mango and refined it to a point of ruthless efficiency and profitability. The next step for them is an expansion of the model into the wider region and they have recently received traffic rights to operate as far afield as Mauritius (currently served with limited frequency) and Nairobi. That will bring new challenges but, knowing the guys who run the airline, should not be a major issue for them.
One of the biggest (friendly) battles in South African aviation in 2022 is the On-Time Performance contest between Rodger at Airlink and Elmar at flySafair. They are running neck-and-neck through August with Airlink a few decimal points ahead at 96.xx% and flySafair at 95.xx% . Yes, that is 96% of ALL flights arriving within 15 minutes of schedule over the course of the ENTIRE YEAR – weather, strikes, etc.. inclusive. Unfathomable numbers and a testament to the quality of both those airlines.
Thanks! Very interesting
I usually pay to assign seats for extra legroom but on a recent transavia flight I booked too late to choose seats. When check in opened I saw all the same seats for free lolll. Saved $100. Might have to do this more often on short flights. It adds up for five of us.
We were on vacation in SA in September and flew FlySafair from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Other than the fact that all bags had to be stowed (even my little crossbody shoulder bag) I was pretty impressed with the airline. Got middle seats with extra legroom and for a quick 2 hour flight, it worked great. Having Bidvest Lounge access through PP made it worthwhile as well.
What is PP? With many thanks in advance for your reply.
Priority Pass.
I flew lift a few weeks ago from CPT-JNB. I thought the service was better on them, than on US carriers. We left at 0700 and even got a chocolate croissant!!! Much better service than any US carrier in coach at that distance, that time of day. Plus, we got to board from the rear in CPT. Doesn’t get much better than that!!
I fly to Lanseria 5 times a year and so far all good and on time.
Vernon Kirsten
Dbn to ct and return, flysafair are using ancient planes which feel like they going o fall from the sky. Terrible turbulence and the seats are large enough for ants at most. Terrible. Sadly there are no other options to fly to ct from dbn and return. The planes used in this route by flysafair are pathetic
You get what you pay for
Hi
I used Flysafair for the first time on the 8th of October. To be honest I was not looking forward to use it because I heard so many negative stories, people saying it’s a taxi on air . I got a shock of my life to see that it’s spacious, neat the ,landing was perfect. I really enjoyed it . I’m booking for my 32 friends that are coming from Tanzania in December.Thats how impressed I was . The only problem was the people handling our luggages are careless my friends bag got damaged and the thing of paying for baggage need to change. Selling food in the plane as well can’t u add R50 in your flights to give passenger light food maybe . That will keep ur standards high . Thanks
I fly with them 3 to 4 times a year Lanseria to Capetown and back. They are always on time and i never had any problems. Their app also easy to use.
Excellent service always. Flew wirh them the past 8 years hazzle free.
Flysafair is neat ,the service is fantastic and always on time.
Well done
I flew last week from Cape Town to Johannesburg. There was no space for my laptop bag in the overhead compartments so the air hostess offered to take my bag. I removed my laptop but forgot that my wallet was in my laptop bag. She assured me that she was going to cable tie it and it wasn’t locked because I did not expect to be separated from it. Needless to say by the time the aeroplane landed I was minus a wallet as well as no way to get home. I asked for help at the airport but I got no support at all from the airline. All they said to me was go to the police station and report it.
Now while I know that getting my wallet stolen was probably my fault because I did not remove it from my laptop bag, I received no sympathy from the airline. All Stewart’s and airport people had no idea how to help me. All they did was continuously say go and report it at the police station, no one even offered to walk with me to show me where the police station was. When I finally found the police station and reported this crime the police officers were not surprised at my report. They said this kind of theft was common and that I should inform my insurance company about my loss and claim it from them.
I sent an email to the airline but I am yet to receive response.
I lost my ID my driver’s licence my bank cards all my other cards, now the inconvenience was more stressful and frustrating than the actual losing of the wallet. I literally had to go reinvent myself the following day.
All I really needed from the airline was a bit the sympathy and a little bit of support. Luckily I had my phones with me and I could phone a family member to come and fetch me at the airport because I had no money on me and no way of getting home because I had to stop my bank cards.
Thank you flysafair for a very disappointing flight experience as well as your unsympathetic staff towards a very frightened, lost and stressed out passenger.
Your staff should be ashamed of themselves by the way they treated me.