Picture: Craig Williams
Airlink announced on Friday morning that it will be resuming direct flights between Cape Town and the remote St Helena Island from December 2024 until March 2025.
Flights to the secluded paradise are only available from Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport.
The Cape Town flights will supplement the existing flights between St Helena and Johannesburg, and will depart on Saturdays from Cape Town International airport.
“In the six years since Airlink was awarded the contract to operate air services between St Helena and the African mainland, we have seen a steady post-Covid recovery and rise in demand for travel to and from the island,” said Airlink CEO Rodger Foster in a statement.
Foster added the airline initially started as a weekly service, but that they have since introduced a seasonal second-weekly service to cover the summer holiday period between Johannesburg and St Helena.
Commenting on the re-introduction of direct flights from Cape Town to St Helena, Foster said Cape Town is a launchpad for tourism beyond South Africa.
“By linking it directly with St Helena to cover the summer season at the end of 2024, Airlink will provide a convenient and reliable service to what is a unique, largely unspoiled, and attractive destination.”
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Isolated in the middle of the South Atlantic, St Helena is one of the world’s most remote islands. Up until 2017, when the island’s first and only airport opened to the public, Cape Town served as the gateway for St Helena with regular ship services over the centuries (a five-day voyage to reach the island).
The island is home to around 4,500 residents and maintains a tight-knit community and traditions seemingly untouched by the modern world.
St Helena’s rugged, volcanic landscape provides diverse opportunities for hiking, and strong conservation efforts nurture a vibrant marine landscape perfect for diving and snorkeling.
The island also boasts more than 500 plant and animal species found nowhere else on earth, and is home to Jonathan the Tortoise, the world’s oldest living land animal.
The island also has a very rich history, being the place of Napolean’s exile and death.
Flights to St Helena can be booked from Johannesburg and Cape Town with Airlink. The airline has recently doubled its scheduled flight service between South Africa and the isolated island to a seasonal twice-weekly flight.
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