Johannesburg based airline, Airlink, is doubling its scheduled flight service between South Africa and St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean – one of the remotest islands in the world – to a seasonal twice-weekly flight.
In addition to the regular scheduled weekly flight that operates each Saturday from Johannesburg, a second weekly flight originating in Johannesburg will operate to St Helena during the period 28 November 2023 to the end of February 2024. These flights will take place on a Tuesday. This will result in a further 13 return flights available to travellers in addition to the weekly flights over the peak season.
The resumption of regular twice weekly flights to St Helena will not only deliver more capacity for passengers to travel to the island, but also provide greater options and certainty to visitors, tour operators, and the local private sector. Most notably, the increases to both passenger capacity and flight frequency mean that prospective travellers have more certainty that seats will be available at their preferred times of travel, whilst offering them more flexibility around travel dates and lengths of stays.
Matt Joshua, Head of St Helena Tourism said: “We are delighted that twice weekly flights will resume to the island, offering more choice and flexibility for visitors to the island.
“St Helena offers the perfect getaway for travellers looking to escape the crowds and we look forward to meeting the demand from travellers wanting to experience one of the UK’s oldest overseas territories and most remote inhabited islands on the planet.”
A British Oversees Territory in the middle of the South Atlantic, St Helena was first colonised by British settlers in the Seventeenth Century. Today, the small island is home over 4,000 inhabitants, known locally as Saints, who are famed for their hospitality and welcoming nature.
The island is a haven for walkers with over 20 nature trails designed by the St Helena Nature Conservation Group showcasing some of the most scenic and untouched areas of the island. For history enthusiasts, the island is soaked in a rich history, allowing travellers to get an insight into its role in fighting the slave trade, acting as a Boer Prisoner of War site, and holding key sites associated with Napoleon, including his tomb.
For divers visiting the island, there are eight shipwrecks around St Helena to visit, many of which are scattered with articles of marine archaeological interest such as cannons and anchors. Visitors who arrive between June and December can glimpse Humpback Whales with their calves.
The island continues to champion sustainability and was recently named the best eco-location and sustainable tourism destination in the 2022 World Commerce Review awards. Selected by an expert panel, the award recognises destinations that have placed the environment at the heart of their tourism programmes, with St Helena being commended for their innovation, expertise, and excellence in this field.
