Twice-Weekly Flights to St Helena to Resume, Making Remote Island More Accessible

The return of twice-weekly flights to St Helena will make one of the most remote islands in the world easier to reach this winter.

From South Africa, the Johannesburg-based airline Airlink is increasing its service from 28th November of this year to the end of February 2024.

Matt Joshua, director of tourism at St. Helena, said: “We are delighted that twice-weekly flights will resume to the island, offering more choice and flexibility for visitors.”

St Helena, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic, is more than 1,200 miles away from the closest significant land mass.

The regular Saturday excursions from Johannesburg to St. Helena will be supplemented by Tuesday flights starting in the fall.

Over the peak season, this will result in an additional 13 return flights being made available to travelers in addition to the weekly flights, according to the tourism organization.

It added: “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.”

Napoleon died in exile on the island after losing the Battle of Waterloo, which the British colonized in the 17th century.

There are about 4,000 people living on the island, which is renowned for its nature trails and extensive history.

Around St. Helena, there are eight shipwrecks for divers to explore, and between June and December, travelers may catch a glimpse of humpback whales with their young.

Joshua added: “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.”

In the 2022 World Commerce Review awards, the island was named the best eco-location and sustainable tourism destination.