Travel30 October 2026

FlySafair sold for R7 billion. What changes for your flights

The Competition Tribunal approved Harith Aviation's R7 billion purchase of FlySafair on 27 October 2026. Here's what it means for fares, bookings and staff, and the conditions attached.

By Reported Team

A FlySafair Boeing 737-800 in the airline's white, red and blue livery climbing against a blue sky — Photo: Miroslav Musil / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

FlySafair is getting a new owner. The Competition Tribunal approved Harith Aviation's purchase of 100% of the airline on 27 October 2026, with conditions (Competition Tribunal). The deal is reported to be worth about R7 billion and is expected to close before the end of the year (Business Day).

If you have a FlySafair ticket booked, nothing changes for now. Both companies say it is business as usual.

Will FlySafair fares, flights or the brand change?

Not according to the buyer. Harith said FlySafair "will continue to operate independently under its existing management team and retain its low-cost operating model and customer offering" (Moneyweb).

FlySafair CEO Elmar Conradie said it has been business as usual for customers and staff throughout the process, "and that continues" (Moneyweb). The airline is expected to keep its name, and the parties have said existing agreements with pilots, cabin crew and suppliers stay in place (Travelnews).

Neither company has announced any fare changes. Harith has spoken about future investment in the fleet and routes, but no new routes or aircraft have been confirmed (Travelnews).

Who is Harith, and why does it own an airport too?

Harith is a Sandton-based infrastructure investor. It already holds stakes in Lanseria International Airport and in Traxtion, a private rail operator, and is an investor in the Beitbridge Border Post upgrade (Business Day).

It tried to buy a controlling stake in SAA through the Takatso consortium, but that deal fell through in 2024 (Business Day, Moneyweb).

FlySafair is South Africa's biggest domestic airline, with about 60% of the local market according to Business Day. The current owners, including Irish lessor ASL Aviation Holdings, exit the business, leaving FlySafair fully South African owned (Travelnews, ch-aviation).

What conditions did the Tribunal set?

Owning both an airline and a stake in Lanseria was the main competition worry, because rival airlines also fly from there (EWN). The Tribunal's conditions are:

Condition	What it means
No say in Lanseria decisions that affect rivals	Harith can't take part in Lanseria decisions on pricing, landing slots, apron access or other services other airlines need
No shared directors	FlySafair and Lanseria can't have common board members while Harith holds stakes in both
Fair terms for other airlines	Airport services at Lanseria must be offered to all airlines on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms
No sharing of sensitive information	Safeguards stop commercially sensitive information passing between the businesses
No merger job cuts for three years	No retrenchments because of the merger for three years, with some exclusions

Sources: Business Day, Travelnews, EWN

Regional airline CemAir opposed the deal at the Tribunal hearing in August, arguing the overlapping ownership could hurt competition at Lanseria. The Competition Commission disagreed and recommended approval with conditions (ch-aviation).

What happens next?

The Tribunal has issued its order but its written reasons are still pending (Competition Tribunal). Harith says the remaining regulatory approvals and conditions still need to be met, and it expects the deal to close in late 2026 (Moneyweb).

Until then FlySafair keeps running as normal. For questions about an existing booking, use FlySafair's own website or app.

FAQ

Who bought FlySafair?

Harith Aviation, part of Sandton-based infrastructure investor Harith, is buying 100% of FlySafair. The Competition Tribunal approved the deal with conditions on 27 October 2026.

How much did FlySafair sell for?

The deal is reported to be worth about R7 billion, according to Business Day.

Will FlySafair ticket prices change after the sale?

No fare changes have been announced. Harith says FlySafair will keep its low-cost model, management team and customer offering.

Will FlySafair staff lose their jobs?

The Tribunal barred retrenchments caused by the merger for three years, subject to some exclusions.

When does the FlySafair sale close?

Harith expects the transaction to close in late 2026, once the remaining regulatory approvals and conditions are met.