The world’s most useless airport” welcomed the first commercial flight to the island of St Helena when SA Airlink flight SA 8131 landed on the remote South Atlantic island, 3 130km from Johannesburg
The South African company won the St Helena government contract to run a weekly flight service to St Helena because it has jets small enough to properly use the runaway where the wind shear makes it impractical for anything bigger than the 98-seater Embraer E190 jet which touched down yesterday.
Big aircraft can’t land there because of the cross winds and it took 12 months to satisfy concerns that airlines could fly in and out safely.
The airport, built at a cost of £285 million by South African construction company Basil Read, and paid for by the British government, was completed a year ago amid ecological concerns.
The flight from Johannesburg made a stop at Windhoek International Airport in Namibia to refuel.
The weekly Airlink service via Windhoek will replace the RMS St Helena mail ship, which used to take five days from Cape Town to reach the island and then five days back, at a cost of R14 251 for a return flight.
The small island is famous for being the place of Napoleon Bonaparte’s death in exile, the temporary banishment of Dinizulu ka Cetshwayo, as well as the internment of 6000 Boer commandos in the Anglo Boer War.
Captain Jack Henning warned passengers that there would be a go-around if the wind was too bad, expecting normal wind of 25km/* , but warning that winds could gust up to 50km/* .
He said the aircraft was equipped with wind shear detection and, if necessary, would just do a “normal left hand circuit” out over the sea and try again.
The airplane descended through a thick bank of bright white cloud that seemed to stretch all the way to the horizon on each side of the aircraft.
“Hier is ons teen die berg,” (here we are right up against the mountain) quipped one passenger as the clouds cleared to reveal the runway built atop the volcanic outcrop.
There was a bit of turbulence, but Henning lined up and set the aircraft down very smartly.
“That was the most beautiful landing, wasn’t it?” said senior cabin attendant Masilo Mofokeng over the public address system to applause.
The aircraft was met with the traditional airport water spray salute by fire trucks and every passenger was met by the island’s governor, Lisa Phillips, as they emerged from beneath flags held by Henning and his co-captain Tammy King.
The passengers cleared customs to be met in the arrivals hall by a crowd of excited islanders.
The director of St Helena Airport, Janet Lawrence, said commercial air service would transform the island’s tourism industry as well as its agriculture, fisheries, and construction.
St Helena Airport has been operational since May 2016 and catered to a number of medical evacuations and charters of varying sizes.
“Safety is our number one priority. During Airlink’s proving flight visit in August 2017, they undertook 13 flight trials at St Helena Airport. All of the trials were successful and subsequently the final approvals for the scheduled air service were granted by the South African Civil Aviation Authority,” she said.
According to Lawrence, the flights would benefit locals who require access to medical experts and specialist equipment.
Director of tourism for St Helena Tourism, Helena Bennett, said they were optimistic about tourists visiting the island. Last year alone, the island received around 8 000 visitors. “St Helena Tourism is continuously promoting the island as a new flight destination and highlighting our key niche markets of history and heritage, natural beauty and adventure.
“The island is strategically located for transatlantic travel and we are looking to exploit that market in parallel under other obvious tourist destinations,” she said.
Among the activities travellers can enjoy include 4x4 adventure tours, St Helena distillery, Diana’s Peak, the island’s national park and St James Church.
According to a press release from Airlink, the monthly charter flight to Ascension Island would commence on the third weekend of next month and thereafter operate on the second weekend of every month.
Yesterday’s flight returns to Johannesburg today.
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