MAY 3 was a historic
day for St Helena
when a charter flight
operated by Airlink carrying
60 passengers successfully
landed at St Helena Airport.
The flight was operated by a
British Aerospace 146 Avro
RJ85 aircraft, and carried
passengers affected by the
cancellation of Royal Mail
Ship St Helena voyages 255
and 256 due to mechanical
issues. The aircraft departed
again the same day, returning
to Cape Town via Windhoek
with 48 passengers on
board.
The smooth touchdown
on Runway 20 was a
significant milestone, as
attempts to implement
a regular commercial
service on the island have
been unsuccessful due to
problems encountered with
turbulence and wind shear,
particularly on Runway 02.
Following the landing, St
Helena councillor, Derek
Thomas, said: “Over the
past year there have been
many disappointments for
air access. The arrival of the
aircraft today is one step
nearer to commercial use of
our airport.”
The successful flight
bodes well for Airlink, which
remains in the running
for a tender to operate
commercial flights to St
Helena. Airlink ceo and md,
Rodger Foster, says: “The
crew did not experience
abnormal conditions and
stable approach was
accomplished.”
Roxanne Green, press
officer for the St Helena
Government (SHG), says
the preferred bidder
will be announced next
month but that any details
regarding the bidders
cannot be released due to
confidentiality constraints.
“Commencement of air
services will follow once the
regulatory permissions are
granted and the necessary
practical arrangements are
in place.”
In the meantime, Comair
has confirmed that its
contract with SHG to
provide air services between
Johannesburg and St Helena
remains in place, despite
the airline only operating the
implementation flight and not
a commercial service.
When or if Comair will
begin operating the service
remains unclear though.
“We’re committed to
continued engagement
with the SHG and will play
whatever role we can to find
a more permanent, reliable
air service for the island,”
says Susan van der Ryst,
corporate communications
manager. He also confirmed
that the airline had not
submitted a revised proposal
based on the tender
released in December.
Despite the recent
mechanical issues, until
a regular air service
commences, RMS St Helena
remains the only way of
travelling to the island, and
the schedule will continue
to run until January 24,
2018 (Voyage No 268),
at which point it will be
withdrawn from service
and decommissioned,
says St Helena Tourism
spokesperson, Simon
Quarendon. The ship has
since been repaired and
has already taken 130
passengers from Cape Town
to the island, arriving on
May 9.
He confirmed that there
would be a period when both
the air and mail ship service
would co-exist, allowing
visitors to fly one way and
sail the other.
In anticipation of the air
service, Mantis Collection
is restoring three Georgian
buildings to form the
30-room Mantis St Helena
luxury hotel, which is
expected to open in
September.
