FlySafair R12 birthday sale: Thousands of tickets unsold

by Chumasande Matiwane
Airport ground staff attend the South African FlySafair low-cost airline Boeing 737-85P aircraft, while it is parked on the tarmac at OR Tambo International Airport in Ekurhuleni on March 12, 2026. Africa is feeling the impact of rising oil prices and threats to shipping, as the continent again suffers from events largely beyond its control. Pump prices in Nigeria were up around 14 percent this week. (Photo by Phill Magakoe / AFP via Getty Images)

On Wednesday, 6 May, FlySafair launched its 12th “Birthday Dash”, offering 50,000 one-way tickets priced at R12 each. Ticket allocation was handled through a virtual waiting room.

However, unlike previous years, FlySafair stated that the price would not include taxes and fuel surcharges. This is due to rising global tensions in the Middle East, which have spiked fuel costs.

There were reportedly fewer than 42,000 tickets sold, far short of last year’s quick sell-out, amid complaints of long queues and a privacy glitch exposing user data.

Also see: How to get over your fear of flying

This time around, FlySafair was adamant that even with the additional costs, which were visible during the checkout process, the tickets were “significantly lower than normal prices”.

But people on X had quite a lot to say about this, one X user tweeted, “ Honestly, it felt like a scam.. They could have just said it’s a 40% discount… R12 to R3700 aowa”

Also see: What happens to your body when drinking alcohol while flying?

While another user tagged the airline saying “ I’m in, but all tickets are around R900 one way.. this is VERY different to an advertised birthday sale of R12. What’s going on @FlySafair?”

Responding to the backlash, FlySafair posted a TikTok addressed at consumers who had not read the terms and conditions of its birthday sale.
In the comments section, the airline continued to respond to critics.

“We never said it was only R12”, the administrators of the page replied to one complaint. To others, FlySafair posted memes.

@flysafair R12 base fare + fuel surcharge + taxes = still worth the dash! ✈️ #FlySafair12thBirthdayDash ♬ original sound – FlySafair

Also see: Long Weekend Is Coming, What to Pack for a Weekend Trip (Complete Checklist)

Feature Image: Gettys

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