Airlines/South Africa
Is South African Airways safe?
Last fatal accident was the 1987 Helderberg in-flight fire (Flight 295). Restructured in recent years.
A modelled estimate and protected opinion, not a factual safety verdict — informational only, not safety or travel advice, provided as-is. See our terms & disclaimer.
Operator safety tier
Strong
Modelled fatal-accident risk on the order of 1 in 6.5 million flights.
A model estimate from validated signals (the dominant factor in a flight's safety), not a measurement of this airline's own flight history. IOSA-registered; last fatal accident 1987 (39y ago); rating tempered, too little flight record yet to earn a top rating (an absence of accidents is not yet proof of safety). Full methodology.
Safety signals
IOSA registeredYes
EU air-safety banNot banned
Last fatal accident1987
Fleet
AllianceStar Alliance
CountrySouth Africa
Fleet size13 aircraft
Average fleet age12.0 yrs