# Safair Operations

> Safair Operations (Pty) Ltd is the South African operating company behind low-cost carrier FlySafair; its IATA designator, ICAO code and AWB prefix are not currently documented by primary sources. The company belongs to Ireland's ASL Aviation Holdings via Safair Holdings and the Safair Investment Trust; since 10 February 2026 a sale and purchase agreement with South Africa's Harith is in place. The business model today is scheduled passenger service with belly cargo, plus charter and leasing. Forwarders in South Africa book Safair capacity almost exclusively through general sales agent Bidair Cargo; no carrier-operated shipment tracking could be found.

## Quick facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Legal | Safair Operations (Pty) Ltd |
| Country | ZA |
| Group | ASL Aviation Holdings DAC (über Safair Holdings und Safair Investment Trust); Kaufvertrag mit Harith seit 10.02.2026 |

## Overview

Safair Operations (Pty) Ltd is a South African airline headquartered in Bonaero Park near Kempton Park, next to Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport (JNB). The company started operations in 1965 as Tropair (Pty) Ltd and traded as Safair Freighters (Pty) Ltd from 1970. For decades Safair was one of the largest civil operators of the Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules, flying relief missions, airdrops and Antarctic operations for the United Nations, the World Food Programme and the ICRC. That era has ended: according to parent company ASL Aviation Holdings, the last Hercules left the fleet at the end of 2022, and the remaining aircraft went to Lynden Air Cargo in early 2023.

Today Safair Operations is primarily the operating company behind the low-cost carrier FlySafair, which has been flying since 2014 and, by its own account, serves ten domestic destinations and five international routes. According to company statements the fleet consists of Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-400 aircraft; ASL additionally lists a Boeing 737-400 Combi with which Safair offers cargo capacity within Africa. For freight forwarders Safair is therefore not a freight carrier in the narrow sense, but a provider of belly capacity on the South African domestic network and a few regional routes, as well as a partner for cargo charter and leasing. In South Africa the belly capacity is marketed and handled by general sales agent Bidair Cargo under the name "FlySafair Network".

Ownership is in transition: ASL Aviation Holdings, based in Swords near Dublin, lists Safair and FlySafair among its holdings; on 10 February 2026 FlySafair announced that its shareholders had signed a sale and purchase agreement with South African investment company Harith. In parallel, a regulatory process on the ownership structure has been running since the findings of the Air Services Licensing Council in early 2025. IATA designator, ICAO code and AWB prefix could not be confirmed from primary sources and are therefore left empty.

## Hubs

- JNB

## Fleet

- Boeing 737-800 × 0

- Boeing 737-400 × 0

- Boeing 737-400 Combi × 0

## Sources

- [Safair Operations – About Us](https://www.safairoperations.com/about)

- [ASL Aviation Holdings – Safair](https://www.aslaviationholdings.com/companies/safair/)

- [FlySafair Media Centre – Pressemitteilungen](https://news.flysafair.co.za/)

- [Bidair Cargo – FlySafair Network](https://bidaircargo.co.za/flysafairnetwork/)

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