South Africa’s Airlink is preferred bidder for commercial flights

The government of the remote British dependency of St Helena in the South Atlantic has chosen South African carrier SA Airlink as the preferred bidder to begin scheduled commercial flights to the island.

SA Airlink is a franchisee to South African Airways.

Until now, the only regular contact with the outside world for the island’s 4,500 residents has been via a supply vessel that arrives from South Africa every three weeks. The tiny island, some 1,200 nm (2,220 km or 1,379 mi.) off the coast of Namibia, completed work on a new, £285 million ($360 million) airport in 2016.

However, initial evaluation flights into the airport by British Airways’ South African franchise holder Comair with a Boeing 737-800 discovered windshear problems on the northerly approach to the sole runway, while the southerly approach has a habitual tailwind.

The discovery of the problems—despite the windshear phenomenon having been noted as early as the 19th century by noted British naturalist Charles Darwin—produced considerable ire among UK lawmakers.

The problems with the airport’s runway would have further cut the already-reduced payload Comair’s aircraft could have carried to St Helena and the company did not participate in the tender process for a commercial air service.

Several organizations have conducted test flights into St Helena. Late last year, Embraer pilots, accompanied by aircrew from SA Airlink, operated an Embraer ERJ190 regional jet into the airport. The South African carrier has placed an order for the Brazilian airliner and also operates Avro RJ85s, a type that has also made demonstration flights into the island.

In a brief statement, the St Helena Government (SHG) said it would “enter into a period of contractual negotiations with SA Airlink. It is anticipated that a formal announcement will be made in the coming weeks on completion of negotiations and contract signing.

“It is at this point SHG will be able to confirm details such as the commencement date, frequency, aircraft type, the international hub and connecting airports.”