'World's Most Useless Airport' Finally Ready for Commercial Flights
Approximately 1,200 miles from the West African shoreline, in the middle of the South Atlantic, lies Saint Helena island. This British overseas territory is best known for being the final homeland of Napoleon. It's also one of the most remote destinations in the world; the island is currently only serviced by the mail ship RMS Saint Helena from Cape Town.
In 2005, the British government announced plans to build an airport on the island and begin regular commercial flight to connect St. Helena's economy and 4,000 residents with the rest of the world. 13 years and £285 million later, the island's airport is finally scheduled to receive its first commercial flight, on October 14.
Having commercial flights will certainly make the island a more appealing destination. Round-trip fares on the RMS Saint Helena start at ~$1,200 for an inside cabin with no window or private bathroom. The round-trip voyage takes two weeks and leaves travelers on the island for one week of that time. Now that commercial air service is beginning, the RMS Saint Helena will make its final voyage to the island and neighboring Ascension in early 2018.
Airport Delays
Airport construction began in 2012 on a leveled-off mountaintop on the island's northeast corner. The remote location, paired with multiple engineering challenges, bureaucratic hurdles and a lack of interested air carriers, caused significant delays. On September 15, 2015, a twin engine Beechcraft King Air 200 was the first aircraft to land at the airport. Also in 2015, British Airways' South African franchisee, Comair, announced it would operate regularly scheduled flights from Johannesburg to St. Helena.
A final delay, which received significant media attention around the world and caused Prince Edward to cancel his trip to open the airport, was caused when a Comair 737-800 trial flight aborted its first attempted landing on the island due to wind shear. The aircraft eventually made a successful landing, but the wind shear issue was significant enough that the UK's Secretary of State for International Development appointed an independent commission to review the issue and make recommendations.
The current fix is to have aircraft land on runway 02, which experiences less wind shear than an opposite approach but also requires a tailwind approach.
Commercial Air Flights Announced
After more than a year of delays due to the wind shear issue, the St. Helena government announced in December 2016 that it was taking bids for a new contract of regularly scheduled air service beginning in 2017. According to the government's request for proposal, the bidding airlines must have "a minimum single weekly frequency from an airport capable of offering non-stop service beyond to the key markets of the UK and South Africa" and "a maximum of a single technical stop between St. Helena and the selected gateway, in each direction."
Comair, the originally selected carrier before the wind shear issue, did not even bid on the service. Instead, in June of this year South African Airlink was announced as the winner. Airlink will operate the flight from Windhoek, Namibia, where two feeder flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg will combine for a fuel stop, and then a single flight will continue to St. Helena.
Airlink will operate once-weekly Saturday flights on Embrarer E190 ETOPS (Extended Twin Engine Operations) aircraft just acquired this year, with a flight time of approximately six hours and 15 minutes from Johannesburg, including the fuel stop in Windhoek and the collection passengers from Cape Town for the onward leg. Flights depart every Saturday from Johannesburg at 9:00am and land in Saint Helena at 1:15pm. The return flight leaves after an hour and fifteen minutes on the ground and lands back in Johannesburg at 10:30pm. In each direction, there's a refueling stop in Windhoek as well as a chance for passengers to depart for Cape Town. Round-trip economy fares are currently ~$1,200.
Bottom Line
After years of delays and exorbitant cost, HLE has earned nicknames like "The World's Most Useless Airport." Even with the air service now scheduled, the high cost of fares means most island residents won't be able to afford the flights, and many are worried about the effect of mainstream tourism coming to the island.
I'm scheduled to take the first commercial flight from Johannesburg to St. Helena and spend the night on the island. I'll be talking to locals to get their true feelings on the project and experience a glimpse of what life is like in one of the most remote locations on Earth.
While I'm not particularly thrilled about six hours on an E-190, I'm incredibly excited at the opportunity to experience what it's like bringing commercial flights to one of the last locations on earth only serviced by ship. Stay tuned for a full trip report.
Featured image by Remi Bruneton.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.