SA Airline Seeks R21.1m in Damages After 2022 OR Tambo Aircraft Collision
- FlySafair is pursuing a R21 million damages claim against SAA Technical following a 2022 collision at OR Tambo International Airport
- An SAA Airbus being towed struck a parked FlySafair Boeing 737-800 after towing equipment failed and a warning went unheeded
- The damaged Boeing was pulled from service during the festive season, affecting 132 flight sectors and tens of thousands of passengers
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FlySafair has taken SAA Technical (SAAT) to the Johannesburg High Court, seeking R21.1 million in damages linked to a runway collision at OR Tambo International Airport in November 2022.
The incident happened on 11 November 2022, when an unoccupied South African Airways Airbus A320, which was being towed to a maintenance facility, veered off course and struck a parked FlySafair Boeing 737-800. No passengers or crew were on board either aircraft at the time.
What FlySafair says went wrong
According to court papers, a shear pin on the towing equipment failed, causing the Airbus to drift from its intended path. The tug operator reportedly stepped clear and attempted to alert a colleague who was seated in the Airbus cockpit, but FlySafair alleges the warning was not acted on in time.
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The airline further alleges that the crew member in the cockpit failed to stay alert to the aircraft's movement, did not maintain an adequate lookout, and did not apply the brakes quickly enough to avoid the impact.
It is important to note that these are allegations contained in the claim before the court and have not been established as judicial findings.
A costly festive season
The collision left both aircraft with visible damage. The Airbus sustained wingtip damage, while the Boeing suffered harm to its tail section and auxiliary power unit.
FlySafair says the Boeing was taken out of commercial service between 1 and 22 December 2022, a particularly busy period for South African air travel. The airline estimates that 132 planned flight sectors were disrupted during those three weeks, affecting an estimated 24,070 passengers across the aircraft's 189-seat configuration.
The R21.1 million claim reflects the combined cost of repairs and lost revenue during the period the aircraft was grounded.
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Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, responding to Parliamentary questions from MK party MP Adil Nchabeleng, confirmed that FlySafair had initially sought a far larger sum, totalling R61.12 million, which included R7.42 million for repairs and R53.7 million for loss of income. The airline later narrowed its claim to R21 million before the High Court.
SAA Technical had not yet formally responded to the claim at the time reports on the matter were published. FlySafair has declined to comment publicly while the case is before the courts, though the airline has indicated it remains open to mediation after earlier settlement talks broke down without an agreement.
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Source: Briefly News
