The new midweek flights, to be operated by Airlink on an Embraer E190 on Tuesdays every week, will complement the regular scheduled Saturday flights to St Helena on Saturdays, bringing the frequency to twice weekly.
The seasonal flights will offer passengers more capacity and flexibility to travel to the island, making room for long weekends and shorter stays.
The increases in available seats and flight frequency mean that prospective travellers have more certainty that seats will be available at their preferred times of travel.
Rodger Foster, CEO and managing director of Airlink, said: “St Helena is a uniquely important destination in Airlink’s network and we are privileged to be able to support the island’s economy by providing the much-needed extra mid-week peak season connectivity that enables tourism, while also promoting trade and providing a vital air bridge to the world via Airlink’s main Johannesburg hub.”
Matthew Joshua, the St Helena government’s head of Tourism said travellers visiting the island would have more flexibility and options to tailor their trip to St Helena. There already was an increase in interest from the South African market to travel to St Helena.
Additionally, Airlink and the South African Civil Aviation Authority are currently in the process obtaining the necessary approvals to use Cape Town as a hub for flights during the summer months of November to April, beginning from 2024.
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