South African airline defends low-altitude aerial stunt over packed stadium

The South African airline behind a dramatic stunt that saw two of its aircraft in close formation fly reportedly within feet of the top of a stadium has defended itself in the face of some criticism.The jets roared over Cape Town's DHL Stadium as flares shot up before the start of a Rugby match featuring fierce rivals South Africa and New Zealand.Some labelled the manoeuvre reckless, while others have praised the precision and expertise required to pull it off. In response, Airlink said it was carefully planned with the support of the aviation authorities.Gallo Images/Getty ImagesThe planes - one green, one black - flew over the stadium shortly before the start of the South Africa-New Zealand match"Planning. Precision. Performance," was the airline's message in social media posts accompanied by the footage.In a statement reproduced on a government news site, Airlink went into more detail."The two aircraft were flown by highly experienced crew, with each comprised of three senior captains operating in the roles of commander, co-pilot and safety/technical officer," the airline said.