How do online ticket queues work?

When big online events or sales kick off—like FlySafair’s R11 birthday bonanza—visitors are funnelled into an online waiting room. Think of it as a digital queue, where the system automatically places you in line the moment you hit the site.

Sometimes, you’ll get a countdown timer, a message with your position in line, or even a fun mini-game to pass the time, as FlySafair will reportedly have this year. While you’re waiting, you're not actually on the airline’s website—instead, you're parked on a separate system built to handle the flood of traffic.

This helps protect the main site from crashing under pressure. Once it’s your turn, you’ll be redirected to the real booking platform where you’ll have a limited time to grab your deal before the next hopeful person is let through.

This brings us to why these waiting rooms are done.

Why do companies use these waiting rooms or queues?

While we are on the topic of airlines, let's think of waiting rooms as airport security. It keeps away the bad and lets the good through. It's an important tool for companies dealing with high-demand events and sales.

For starters, they help manage traffic and protect websites from crashing. By regulating how many people can access the booking page at once, companies keep things running smoothly behind the scenes.

They also level the playing field. These queues use smart tech to give everyone a fair shot, not just the fastest fingers. It's also worth noting that the tech and mechanisms used for these waiting rooms may vary across companies and events, with some being random selection or a first-come-first-served system, or even both.

And perhaps most importantly, they help block bots and bad actors from snapping up tickets before real people even get a chance.

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How to Purchase Flights for R11 on FlySafair and Navigate the Online Waiting Rooms