“They Don’t Take You for a Spin?”: SA Stunned As Airline Employee Admits He’s Never Flown in a Plane

• A Johannesburg aircraft maintenance worker went viral after sharing a surprising fact about his professional life while dancing on the airport apron
• The viral clip was shared on TikTok on January 8, 2026, where the man admitted that, despite working for a major airline, he has never actually been a passenger on a flight
• Social media users were stunned and reacted with humour and amusement, with some comparing his situation to other ironic career paths

A local man has left the internet in stitches after revealing a major irony regarding his job in the aviation industry.

The video was shared on TikTok by @juniorhewu and garnered massive views, along with over 300 comments from an entertained online audience.

The clip shows the man who works in aircraft maintenance at Safair filming himself dancing on the airport's apron. He sparked a massive debate online after noting that although he spends his days working on planes, he has never flown on one before.

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Aviation worker compares maintenance role to car mechanics

In his caption, TikTok user @juniorhewu jokingly called for viewers to imagine being a car mechanic without ever having driven a car. The clip shows him in his high-visibility work gear surrounded by aircraft as he lightheartedly highlights the gap between his technical expertise and personal travel experience.

The man’s honest admission led many to question how common it is for ground staff to remain grounded while the planes they service take to the sky. He used the comparison of a mechanic who fixes engines but stays off the road to illustrate his unique position.

SA reacts to the irony of the grounded man

The clip gained massive views and comments from an online community that filled his feed with amusement and carried on with the joke. One user assured him he was not the only one in such a position and joked that people are working at mortuaries but have never died. Some women humorously shot their shot by asking the man to marry them so they could travel with him. Another viewer asked if the company does not take the maintenance crew on test flights. The same viewer noted that their sister works in the same industry and often joins pilots on flights with no passengers.

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User @Nolwazi Lubisi joked:

"Don't worry, there are people who work at the mortuary and have never died 😏."

User @🇿🇦Zwide Siyabonga🇿🇦 commented:

"Bro, I have a sister who is a mechanic, same job as yours, but yena uyakwazi ukusuka (she often travels) from Jhb to George with the flight to test drive with no passengers, just her and two pilots. I was so shocked when she video called me."

User @Mbali Z Myeki joked:

"Wait, we both work for FlySafair, it’s a sign🥹🥹."

User @Ninny teased:

"Marry one of us, and you’ll fly free 😂."

User @hlab'elimzondayo said:

"Don't worry, there are people who advise farmers, but they don't have farms."

User @Kwena Ledwaba

"Kgane, don’t they take you guys for a spin during the induction 😭."

Watch the TikTok video below:

3 Briefly News airline-related articles

• A heartwarming video captured an SAA cabin crew member greeting passengers in six different South African languages, including a touch of slang to show the airline's commitment to providing excellent service
• A group of cabin crew members from South African Airways were filmed taking part in the viral dance challenge, 'Chomy Yam,' made popular by an old video of Khanyi Mbau.
• A content creator gave his followers an inside look into Emirates' first class offerings and a tour of their A380 aircraft, leaving many in awe of the experience.

Source: Briefly News