Passenger jets perform ultra-low flyover at Cape Town rugby match

A pair of Embraer E-Jets from South African airline Airlink performed a dramatic low flyover over a Cape Town stadium before a rugby match between South Africa and New Zealand. The video of the stunt has gone viral, with many noting how close the planes came to the crowd. Such low flyovers are reportedly more common in South Africa than elsewhere.

The flyover occurred during the opening of a match in the "Rugby's Greatest Rivalry" tour, which pits New Zealand's All Blacks against South Africa's Springboks in a series of international fixtures. Airlink, the airline operating the two Embraer E-Jets, is a regional carrier, and the aircraft passed so low that spectators in upper-tier seats appeared nearly level with the landing gear. Video footage from multiple angles circulated widely online, drawing comparisons to other recent flyovers, such as the seven-plane display at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., though that event featured military aircraft at higher altitudes.

The article notes that such low-altitude flyovers are reportedly more common in South Africa than in other countries, a detail that surprised many international viewers. The stunt was captured by photographer Grant Pitcher, whose images were distributed via Getty Images, helping the moment reach a global audience. While the exact altitude was not specified, the visual evidence suggests the jets came exceptionally close to the stadium structure, making the event a memorable prelude to the rugby contest.