The governments of the Falkland Islands and Ascension Island, two British Overseas Territories in the South Atlantic, have agreed to block a quota of ten seats on each Airlink (South Africa) (4Z, Johannesburg O.R. Tambo) flight between Ascension Island and St. Helena for Falklands residents.
"This agreement removes the risk of travellers from the Falklands not being able to book a seat by guaranteeing availability," the government said.
The agreement follows an earlier policy from May 2024, which permitted visits to Ascension by non-military travellers residing in the Falklands for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Falkland Islanders will be able to book seats on the Ascension Island-St. Helena monthly flight in a single transaction through the Falkland Islands Corporation (FIC). The fares are fixed at GBP445 pounds (USD585) one-way. The maximum transit time at Ascension Island is seven days.
Ascension Island is a military airport, jointly managed by the Royal Air Force and the United States Air Force, which is closed to civilian traffic. AirTanker operates its 2x weekly South Atlantic Airbridge service between Brize Norton in the UK and Mount Pleasant International in the Falklands via Ascension, but entry is limited to military and contracted personnel with sponsored visas, as well as transit visa holders.
Airlink operates weekly flights from Johannesburg O.R. Tambo via Walvis Bay to St. Helena (direct to Johannesburg on the return leg), using E190s. It is the only airline serving the island. One flight per month continues to Ascension Island, making Airlink the only commercial airline serving that island too.
