St Helena on line at last

The British Overseas Territory of St Helena opens its first airport next month with an official ceremony by Prince Edward on 21 May.

It will be the first time the South Atlantic island is connected to the outside world by a faster means than a five-day boat trip to Cape Town.

The first scheduled flight will be by a British Airways B737-800 operated by partner carrier Comair from Johannesburg.

The service will depart Johannesburg at 08:30 each Saturday and land on St Helena at 11.30. The same aircraft will depart the Island later the same day, at 12:30, landing back in Johannesburg at 18:30.

Passengers will be able to connect with Heathrow via BA’s twice-daily flight from Johannesburg, as well as other worldwide destinations.

The first direct link with the UK will be by island-based Atlantic Star Airlines with a charter service to Luton, also by B737-800.

The first departure leaves Luton on the evening of 22 May, arriving in St Helena the following morning after a short fuel stop in Banjul (Gambia). The aircraft will then return to the UK carrying the first passengers to travel direct from St Helena to Great Britain.

A second pair of flights is planned for 5-6 June with other services later this year.  www.sainthelena.gov.sh   www.comair.co.za   www.atlanticstarairlines.com

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