HOW TO GET TO ST HELENA ISLAND — BY AIR
St Helena Airport opened in April 2016 and commercial flights began on 14 October 2017, ending centuries during which the island could only be reached by sea. The airport is located on the eastern side of the island, roughly 8km from Jamestown.
The airport has been classified as a Category C airport due to wind shear conditions, which are safely managed on every flight. St Helena operates an open skies policy.
Flying with Airlink
The current commercial airline serving St Helena is Airlink, a South African regional carrier. Airlink operates a regular weekly Saturday flight between OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg (JNB) and St Helena (HLE). The flight takes approximately five to six hours.
During the southern summer season (December to March), an additional weekly Tuesday service operates between Cape Town International Airport and St Helena, with a refuelling stop in Walvis Bay, Namibia. This seasonal service enhances options for visitors and provides a convenient link with the Cape Town tourism market.
Airlink also operates a monthly inter-island charter service between St Helena and Ascension Island.
Tickets can be booked directly at www.flyairlink.com or through any IATA travel agent. Residents on St Helena can book through Solomon & Company (St Helena) Plc’s Shipping & Travel Agency at the Malabar, Jamestown — by email at travelagent@solomons.co.sh or by telephone on +290 22523.
For the current flight schedule and the latest flight information, visit St Helena Airport’s website.
THE FIRST PLANE
The first plane in history to land on St Helena was a Beechcraft King Air 200, registration ZS-TAE, captained by Grant Brighton. It arrived at 13:50 on Tuesday 15 September 2015 to perform calibration flights as part of the airport set-up, and was greeted by large crowds marking this historic occasion.
See it here:
To learn more, stay up to date and see progress related to St Helena Airport visit the official government website www.sainthelenaaccess.com
