Trevor Noah reveals what it’s really like flying a budget airline in South Africa

And Cape Town has Levi. Cape Town has Levi. I'm walking in the streets one day, and they've got a beautiful city center there. And I'm walking on a street called Cliff Street. And I'm walking along, minding my own business. And from across the street, almost a block away, I hear some guy screaming my name. Trevor! Trevor! And I turn, and I see, and there's a guy far on the other side, and he's wearing, like, blue overalls, and he's like, "Trevor!" And I look, and he's like, "Wait there!" And he comes running. And, guys, he said it with such confidence, I waited. I didn't know. I didn't even know. Like, that's something that could never happen overseas. I can bet you money. There's no one overseas who's like, "Oprah, wait there!" That's not a thing. This guy made me stop. He came running over. He was like, yo, Trevor, I wear mask and can't, I wear mask and can't. Yeah, but I can't believe it. This is most you, no? This is most you. Yeah, it's you most, no? Trevor Noah. I was like, yeah, it's me. He's like, ah, it's not you. I was like, no, it's me. He's like, nah, man, you're not Trevor. You look like Trevor Noah. I was like, I am Trevor Noah. He's like, ah, it's not. I was like, okay, it's not. He's like, it's most you, Trevor Noah. Yeah, it was you. Why are you acting like it's not you? I was like, because you said it's not me. Are you trying to be funny? I can see, can I take a selfie? Can I take a selfie? I was like, yeah, let's take a selfie. He's like, okay, okay. Yeah, let's take a selfie. Let's take a selfie. I'm like, yeah, let's do it. He's like, you must do your phone there. I'm like, what? He's like, I've got a cock phone, Trevor, take it with yours. You've probably got a nice phone, like an iPhone or something, but I take a picture there. I'm like, and then do what with it? He's like, you must put it there by your Instagram. Yeah, he must tag me, I also want the followers. I was like, yo, dude, this is dude with your phone. He's like, ah, Trevor, okay, okay, let's take a pic, but you mustn't laugh, man. You mustn't laugh, because I got a scam song. You must relax, you must relax. You must relax, okay, we're gonna take a picture, let me hold on, let me just delete something here, let me just delete some. I just need to make some space here, let me just delete some pictures, because I didn't think I was gonna meet you today, no. I didn't prepare for this. No, I just got to see, I can't, no, that's my girlfriend there, I can't delete that one. God, this is most my mom. This is another picture. This is a picture. You see this one? I'm trying to buy this golf, you see there? It's a Mark 2, you know Mark 2? Yeah, it's a limited edition, this one. Yeah, check that there, hey, bro, this is most a nice one. Hold on, hold on. Okay, okay, okay, okay. We got it. You ready? You ready? Okay, Trevor, Trevor, there. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Say cheese! And I was like, all right, cheers, man. He's like, oh, Trevor, Trevor! Yeah, bro. Look now, look, you, look, you spoil the picture. I'm like, what are you talking about? He's like, bro, you must wait. I'm like, wait for what? I heard the sound. He's like, ah, Brown, just follow the sound and the picture is different. It's two separate transactions. I'm like, dude, what are you talking about? He's like, you must wait. Just relax. Just, I'll tell you when you can move, okay? I was like, okay, fine. Okay, let's do it. Let's do it. Then he's like, okay, okay, you're ready, you're ready, you're ready. Say cheese. And I'm like, there, cheese. Can we move? Don't move, don't move. Just wait, just wait, just relax, just stay there. Stay there. How long does it... Don't talk, don't talk, you're gonna spoil the picture. Just pray someone doesn't phone now, but just wait. Just wait. Okay, yeah, we got it, we got it. Why you don't smile, bruh? Why you don't smile? Why you don't give me the TV smile? You see, you mustn't ask me for a picture again. It never happens to me anywhere in the world. Only here, in Zanzibar, South Africa. It's been a wonderful trip. I don't know what's gonna happen. I don't know how it's gonna happen. There's never a dull moment in South Africa. Even just flying around, the country has been exciting for me. It's been an injection of South Africa. That's what it's felt like. You know, just traveling around, particularly because the flying has changed, right? So I told my team in South Africa, I was like, "Hey, what's the plan?" And they were like, "Well, um..." They're like, "Who do you want to fly? How are we flying around the country?" I said, "We do the usual. We're gonna fly with SAA." And then they were like... They're like, "SAA, it's finished." I'm like, what do you mean it's finished? They're like, yeah, it's gone. SABC and the, you know, SAA generations, all of it's gone. I'm like, what? I'm like, what do you mean it's just finished? So how are we flying? They're like, well, you've got to choose another one. I was like, well, you recommend. They're like, well, we could do like fly Safair. I was like, all right, is it good? They're like, well, it's not great, but it's reliable. It'll get you where you need to go. I was like, "What do you mean it's not great?" They're like, "Well, they just make you pay for everything, and it's like, it's very, like, you know, they just make it very efficient." I didn't realize how efficient. Yo, FlySafair's on another level, guys. I don't know who's running that airline, but they're serious, eh? They don't waste time, they make sure they make their money, they make you pay for everything. Everything. Yeah, you buy the plane ticket, that's just the beginning of the transaction. Yeah, you want a specific seat, you pay. You want to bring a bag, you pay. Yeah, you want food on the plane, you pay. Yeah, you want to board early, you pay. Those people, they're finding everything, yeah? It's only a matter of time before you are on a fly Saphire flight, and 10 minutes before landing, they come up to your seat like, I'm sorry, sir, it looks like you didn't pay for the landing option. So we're gonna need you to jump out now, if you don't mind. He's like, "Yeah, but can I pay now? Sorry, sir, we don't take cards." I don't think I've ever been on an airline like FlySafair. It was the most South African experience I could ever ask for. Everything was different, everything. The flight was supposed to be two hours, flying to Cape Town. It took an hour 30. Everyone said it's normal. How? How? How are you getting to a place 30 minutes earlier? You're flying in a straight line in the sky. How? People are like, well, that's what happens with flys. No, what do you mean that's what happens? Doesn't that freak you out? So what's happening up there? Is the pilot taking shortcuts? He's just there, busy cutting. Yeah, yeah, yeah, cut here. Double up, double up. 10 by stratas, 10 by stratas. Everything on that flight is different. When you land, And you get to the gate, you're not allowed to stand up. No one told me that. Yeah, I stood up by myself. I was there. Everyone around me was like, "Ah, ah, ah." I was like, "I wanna get my bag." They're like, "Well, you must wait. You must wait." Yo, guys, and the way people talk in that plane, it's almost like flying Saphir came with a shambock one day to everyone. 'Cause not a single passenger, I sat back down, I'm like, "What do you mean?" They're like, "You wait for Saphir to say you can stand." You don't want to see them get angry. What did they do to you, South Africa? You can tell me. That whole flight was different. Oh, you know what was interesting? There was no recline button. Yeah, that was different. Yeah, it was like, there's no, you can't recline your seat. Yeah, the seat is there, and then I got into it, and then I was like, okay, let me relax. And then I was like, whoa, where's the? was the-- OK. You know, sometimes you don't know where a thing is. So I was looking. I'm busy looking. I'm busy pulling things. I'm like, where is-- where is-- and this is something that could only happen in South Africa. There's this Indian guy sitting next to me. And he sees me, because he's fidgeting around, sees me fidgeting. And at some point, he turns, and he's like, hey, Trevor, what's wrong there, man? I said, no, man, I can't find the recline button. And without missing a beat, this man was like, oh, no, don't worry, they sell it there when you start flying. "Yeah, they're gonna bring it with the Pringles and the water and stuff. You can buy it. It's 55 Rand." Guys, he said it so seriously. And I'd paid for so many other things that I believed it. I was like, "God damn, this airline is crazy." I was like, "What an insane airline." I was like, "They make you pay for the recline button?" You know what an idiot I looked like when they came with that cart. They're just pushing that cart down. They're like, "And, sir, what would you like?" I was like, "Can I please have the recline button? I want to lean back." Everything on FlySafair was fun. Everything. My favorite thing on FlySafair is that it feels personal. That's what I like, you know? I feel like I'm on a South African airline, and it feels personal. It feels intimate. I feel like they're flying me, mostly because they look at me. You know, when they're making the announcements, you see who's making the announcements. That doesn't happen when you fly anymore. Flying has become so impersonal. They just put down that video monitor, and then you just watch a little safety video. There's no warmth, there's no character. You've seen it probably when you travel, when you leave South Africa, when you fly Emirates, and then they'll be like, please watch the safety video, and then the video comes on. Shukran Khaylat, wala Khaylat, wala wala. Emirates, shukran, wala wala. Assalamu alaikum, wa alaikum salam. Daji Emarati, wa alaikum. Habibi, wa alaikum. Daji Emarati, wa alaikum. Muhammad, wa alaikum. Welcome to Emirates. That's not personal, that's not for me. FlySafair feels like it's custom made. You see the person, they take that telephone off the wall. On our flight, they had one person making the announcement and another person doing the actions. Yo, guys, I was having the time of my life. 'Cause that woman took the phone and she's like, "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, aboard this flight, Safi Flight. Please pay attention to the following safety announcement. You will find the seatbelt will be fastened like this. And unfastened like this. Just to make that person feel like they were actually doing something worthwhile, I did it with them. When they were, like, unfastened, I was like... Please also note you will find a life vest under your seat in case of a water landing emergency. Place it over your head and pull the strips to inflate the jacket. If it does not inflate, you can blow into the red toggles on either side. I love it. It was interesting. It was unique. It felt like I was home. The whole flying experience felt like. .. The only thing that doesn't feel unique is the pilots. That's what I've noticed, actually, everywhere in the world. If you want to feel what a country's like, listen to the flight attendants. Right? But then the pilots, no matter where you are, all the same. It's almost like they went to the same school where they've been trained the same way to fly. They've all got that same sexy pilot's voice. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. Like, flight attendants can sound however they like. You know, they do their thing. Welcome, ladies and gen-- no, there's no pilot like that. When pilots come on, they always do that thing of theirs. Boom. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. About this, uh, FlySafe Air flight, this is your captain, John Davis speaking, and, I'm going to be taking you down. It's going to be approximately two hours. We're just waiting for the last few bags to get loaded and we're going to be closing the doors, heading off shortly in a north-easterly direction. Taking off, cruising. Like, why are they always running out of breath? Is there a reason that pilots cannot complete one single sentence when they're making announcements? Every time that they're like, we're going to be cruising altitude of 35,000 feet. It always sounds like they're getting head in the cockpit. Can anybody tell me why? Why does it sound like every pilot is receiving immense amounts of pleasure and they can't get a single sentence out? Every single pilot. It's like someone started just before they started. They were there and they're like, no, no, no, no. Welcome everybody, let me introduce you to your cabin crew on this flight. In the rear we've got Tundeka, we've got John and we've got Lisa, they're gonna be looking after you. Up front, my copilot. Mr. The Vet's going to be looking after us. Flight time should be not too long. Keep your seat belts fastened in case of any unexpected turbulence. I'll let you know once it's safe to move around, but until then, sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight.