SAA videos are real but date back to 2019
Those trending videos of the SAA fly past are not from this morning - or even this year.
It’s not every day you get to see two Airbus A340-600s gracefully gliding through the air in formation – and 27 April 2020 is not one of those days.
Video footage of two South African Airways (SAA) airbuses is circulating on social media, purportedly showing four pilots who were given permission to do a final fly past over OR Tambo International Airport.
However, SAA spokesman, Tlali Tlali, refuted this, saying the videos dated back to the president’s 2019 inauguration. “The video is from last year during the preparation and practice for the presidential inauguration fly past.”
The two planes in the footage took off from OR Tambo International Airport on 25 May 2019 and circled Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria prior to the fly past. The planes were joined by six Silver Falcons (South African Air Force aerobatic display team flying Pilatus PC-7 Mk IIs) on their special flight.
Tlali said there was no truth to the claims that the pilots had been given special permission for such a flight and condemned those who were sharing the fake news.
“There was no permission granted because there was no such flying that occurred. Those behind this story are insensitive and malicious.”
