Johannesburg – The most on-time low-cost carrier in the world, FlySafair, is adding a little extra joy to their customer’s travel experience with the installation of their latest round of cabin artwork. Six South African artists each created the unique designs, celebrating their favourite parts of the country and its melting pot of cultures. The seventh special edition was created by children supported by FlySafair’s charity partner Wings and Wishes, who provide financially disadvantaged, chronically ill children with transport to destinations where they can receive life-saving medical attention. This is the second time the airline is running this campaign, which started in 2022 as a way to support local artists and help people find enjoyment in flying again after the stress of the pandemic.
“We are thrilled to be bringing back this campaign. Art is a powerful thing, it has the potential to communicate a message or feeling regardless of the language you speak or the culture you come from,” says Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair. “When we first launched this project, flying was extremely stressful for many of our customers due to the forced proximity it required. Thankfully, that is now behind us, but what better way to share our love of flying and South Africa than through art.”
Central to this project are the artists themselves. Each as diverse as the artwork they created, supporting the creative industry forms an important part of this project. The artists were asked to create a piece which celebrates their favourite part of South Africa. Each with their own story to tell, the result is a celebration of all that there is to see in South Africa.
The designs have been converted into aircraft approved materials and are being placed on the selected aircraft’s interior. As a collective, they are a fantastic reflection of just how wide a range of special and unique experiences the country has to offer, bringing more life and fun to the FlySafair Flying experience.
“We cannot wait to show off this next round of designs. This project is an important reminder of all we have to celebrate in this country and is a great way to help us share our love of flying with all our customers,” concluded Gordon.
Meet The Artists (include images of the artwork in the final release)
Jade Klara
Cape Town native and ocean lover Jade finds the inspiration for her perfectly imperfect creations from everyday life, the ocean, and old books. The portrait and editorial specialist has always had an innate desire to express the internal feelings people struggle to express externally through art. Her FlySafair piece draws on the excitement she experienced when taking a trip as a child, laced with nostalgia and a passion for the South African coast.
Glen James
The multi-skilled “re-designer” Glen has a history with FlySafair, being part of their original launch. The veteran marketeer found freedom in advertising, opening his own successful agency in 1994, taking a leap of faith at a time when people were leaving in droves. Having left agency life to the next generation, Glen now focuses on the beauty which surrounds his family farm in the Cape Winelands. It was here he found the inspiration for his “jewels”, the intricately designed flowers inspired by the wildflowers which cover the Cape, seemingly out of nowhere.
Megan Andrews
Born with a pencil in hand, Megan’s passion for colour and all things whimsical has led her to a multi-faceted career as an illustrator, photographer, graphic designer, and children’s book author. Drawing inspiration from her favourite Disney movies and tattoo art, Megan has become known for fun, happy, and colourful designs. This unique style is clear in her FlySafair creation, which draws you in and makes you smile with its hidden details similar to that of books like Where’s Wally?
Wesley Van Eeden
Wesley found his passion for art while seeking adventure on the streets of Durban with his friends and his skateboard. It was on these trips around town looking for new places to skate that Wesley developed his ability to look beyond the literal and find beauty in the ordinary. With aspirations to become a designer at a large skateboarding brand, Wesley’s style is inspired by street art and comic styles. Having travelled extensively, his piece is a celebration of the warmth and friendliness of the South African people, a celebration of our country’s organic, imperfect beauty.
Zinhle Sithebe (Zee)
Finalist in Nando’s hot designer competition, Zee is a creative force who draws inspiration from her rich Zulu heritage. An advocate for self-love, Zee’s artwork focuses on diversity, bringing attention to the unique and often complex identities of those around her. Zee’s piece for FlySafair draws on her passion for her heritage by including Zulu and Ndebele patterns, as well as elephants, which, to her, represent the resilience and humility of South African people.
Maggie De Vos
A last-minute decision to change study paths led Maggie to the world of illustration. Today, the passionate creative, and lecturer enjoys playing with humour and looking at the subtle dance that is everyday human interaction. This focus on humour led Maggie to focus on emotional messaging. Combined with her passion for the South African landscape, Maggie’s artwork for FlySafair is a celebration of all the wonderful corners of South Africa she has visited, drawing you in with its fine detail.
Wings and Wishes
The seventh design which will be featured in the FlySafair aircraft is a special one created by the children of Wings and Wishes. Part of the FlySafair family since 2022, Wings and Wishes is dedicated to transporting financially underprivileged chronically ill children to destinations where they can receive life saving medical attention. Their design is an amalgamation of drawings coloured in by their children.
The designs which will be placed on the interior of selected aircraft are a fantastic reflection of just how wide a range of special and unique experiences the country has to offer. From the flora and fauna of Cape Town to the animals of Kruger Park, Durbans palm trees, and the people which make up the Rainbow Nation the designs.
“We cannot wait to show off this next round of designs. This project is an important reminder of all we have to celebrate in this country and is a great way to help us share our love of flying with all our customers,” concluded Gordon.
FlySafair, Southern Africa’s leading low-cost carrier and proud Trusted Domestic Carrier for the Springboks, offers budget-friendly flights starting at R550* for domestic travel between nine destinations. This now includes Cape Town to Mbombela, starting at just R1851*. FlySafair also operates six international routes, connecting South Africa with our African neighbours starting from R1,400*. Since beginning operations began in 2014, the airline has been ranked the top on-time low-cost airline in the world by Cirium. In 2023, FlySafair received five awards at the Civil Aviation Industry Awards, including Best Airline Operator/Airline, Aviation Maintenance Organisation Award: Medium – Large, and Aviation Professional presented to CEO Elmar Conradie. The airline also earned the Best Airline Award as voted by the public and the Skytrax Best Low-Cost Airline in Africa award in 2021, 2022, and 2023.