Checkers Sixty60 Trolls Airlink's Ultra-Low Cape Town Flyover in Hilarious Ad
- Checkers Sixty60 posted a skit on 5 September 2026 poking fun at Airlink's controversial low flyover over DHL Stadium
- The ad cleverly connected the viral aviation moment to deals on the Checkers Sixty60 app, playing on the phrase 'going lower'
- South Africans flooded the comments with praise for the brand's sharp humour, comparing the marketing to Nando's famous wit
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Source: UGC
Checkers Sixty60 turned one of South Africa's biggest talking points into a marketing moment that had Mzansi in stitches.
The grocery delivery brand posted a TikTok skit on 5 September 2026, riffing on the Airlink flyover that had gripped the country since 29 August 2026. That day, two Airlink Embraer jets performed an ultra-low formation flypast over DHL Stadium in Cape Town, ahead of the Springboks vs All Blacks rugby match. The stunt thrilled the 56,000-strong crowd but sparked a fierce global debate about aviation safety, prompting the South African Civil Aviation Authority to launch a formal review.
Checkers Sixty60 saw their gap and took it.
Checkers Sixty60's clever aviation skit
The video is set inside an airport control tower, where two air traffic controllers are guiding pilots through a flyby. Things go sideways when one officer gets distracted, showing the other deals on the Checkers Sixty60 app. Without realising it, he leans on the radio button, and his commentary about prices going lower is accidentally broadcast directly to the pilots. Every time he tells his colleague to "go lower" on the app screen, the pilot dutifully descends. By the time the officers realise what has happened, the crowd outside is already screaming and cheering.
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The caption read:
"Just for the record: it wasn't us. In other news, let's land it this..." The punchline was unmistakable.
The clip racked up 28,200 likes, 418 comments and 2,000 shares, with many viewers crediting the brand's marketing team for the sharp turnaround.
Mzansi reacts to the Checkers Sixty60 ad
South Africans in the comments section on the TikTok page could not get enough:
@becky said:
"🤣🤣🤣 Yoh America was right yoh, we South Africans take everything for a gat (joke)."
@Saint Hova wrote:
"I honestly blame the vaccine, ai noh it did a number on us. 😭😭😂🇿🇦"
@Harry Arbitrary commented:
"This is great. I'm pretty sure they hired the old Nando's marketing team."
@Ernest Leburu agreed:
"Nando's marketing team got a job at Checkers 😅😅😅"
@KidOo Sillyson wrapped it up:
"Best shout out to the marketing team 💪🏿🙌"
Watch the Checkers Sixty60 skit that had South Africa talking here:
More on grocery stores in SA
- Briefly News recently reported on a South African woman who questioned why her Checkers Xtra Savings card wasn't giving her actual cash back despite nearly R900 in savings on her till slips.
- An old grocery advert showing rock-bottom prices resurfaced and left South Africans reflecting on just how much their money has lost its value over the decades.
- A growing price war between two major retailers, with new numbers revealing which one is really winning on affordability.
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Source: Briefly News
