(Posted 25th March 2022)
Fortnightly Airlink flights between Johannesburg and St Helena Island are scheduled to resume from this Saturday, 26th of March 2022. This includes a monthly inter-Island service with Ascension Island. Additional inter-Island flights have been included during periods of peak demand.
The Airlink flight schedule between March 2022 and January 2023 can be found on the St Helena Government website here: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/visitors/ The Airlink service is the only commercial passenger service that operates to St Helena.
Booking a ticket
Airlink tickets for the service between OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) and St Helena Airport (HLE) are now on sale via the Airlink website (https://flyairlink.com/) and through all IATA travel agents.
Bookings can also be made via Solomon & Company (St Helena) Plc’s Shipping & Travel Agency at the Malabar in Jamestown via email: shipping-travelmanager@solomons.co.sh or via tel: 00290 22523. Persons resident on St Helena can visit the Shipping & Travel Agency in person.
For those living on, or wanting to travel to, Ascension Island, bookings for the inter-Island service can be made via the Ascension Island Government Finance Office in Georgetown. Passengers can visit the Finance Office in person or contact them via email: flight.bookings@ascension.gov.ac or via tel: 67000 extension 115.
Mandatory Quarantine
Excluding those passengers arriving from Ascension (after having been on Ascension for at least 10 consecutive days), all passengers are required to undergo 10-day mandatory quarantine upon arrival at St Helena. The quarantine may be completed within the passenger’s home or at an accommodation that meets the specified requirements for Home Quarantine. Properties intended to be used for Home Quarantine are to be assessed by a Proper Officer prior to the passenger’s arrival. A list of available properties and further quarantine information can be requested via email: visit@sainthelena.gov.sh.
‘Bubble’ arrangements allow arrivals to enter mandatory Home Quarantine with each other or with persons already on-Island, enabling support during the quarantine period and allowing groups travelling to St Helena for specific projects to spend the quarantine period working remotely. Bubble arrangements must be authorised by the St Helena Health Services Directorate, via email: grace.richards@sainthelena.gov.sh.
Before you fly
All travellers must complete the ‘St Helena Pre-Arrival Questionnaire’ form. This form will ask for your personal details, contact details, your health/COVID-19 vaccination status, and your quarantine arrangements.
The questionnaire will be available online at the point of booking and passengers are encouraged to complete the questionnaire at least seven days before their intended arrival to St Helena Island. For the first few flights from South Africa, the form will need to be carried out manually.
No vaccination requirements are currently in place for entry to St Helena.
Arrival into South Africa
Travellers arriving into South Africa are required to produce proof of vaccination. Anyone who cannot show they are fully vaccinated will still need to present a PCR test no older than 72 hours. They will also be offered vaccination.
Additionally, a completed/signed Entry Traveller Health Questionnaire (THQ) must be produced. This is a one-page form that asks for personal details, contact details, your address in South Africa (e.g. your hotel), and other travel information, including COVID-related questions. The THQ can be completed up to 48 hours before travel or upon arrival into the country and can be downloaded at:https://www.airports.co.za/Documents/ENTRY%20SCREENING%20THQ.pdf. This form is also available on the aircraft.
Upon arrival into South Africa, port health officials will screen travellers to determine if they are experiencing any symptoms related to COVID-19. The screening will include a temperature test and a review of the THQ.
If a traveller is found to have been exposed to or is experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 during the screening, further assessments will be conducted, which may include testing. If the test result comes back positive and the traveller is symptomatic, a decision will be made on whether isolation can be completed at the traveller’s accommodation or at a health facility. Further guidance on what is required if a traveller tests positive can be found here: https://sacoronavirus.co.za/2022/02/18/circular-changes-to-covid-19-quarantine-isolation-and-contact-tracing/
Departing South Africa
All passengers arriving at St Helena will need to show a negative PCR test result.
Passengers transiting through South Africa to St Helena will need to take a PCR test within 72 hours of departure from their country of origin.
If South Africa is your country of origin for travel to St Helena, you will need to take a PCR test within 72 hours of departure. An example of this would be someone that has taken a holiday in South Africa before flying to St Helena or someone who has been in South Africa for medical reasons.
Children under the age of five do not need to provide a PCR test result.
During the flight
Passengers are required to wear a face mask at all times, observe best social distancing practices and carry out good hygiene by washing hands or using sanitiser regularly.
Arriving at St Helena
Upon arrival at St Helena from Johannesburg, passengers are required to provide a negative PCR test result. This is the same PCR test result shown when departing South Africa. Children under the age of five do not need to provide a PCR test result.
A mandatory Lateral Flow Test will be administered by St Helena Government’s Health Staff before arrivals can leave the Airport. A final, negative test PCR test result will be required prior to exit from quarantine.
Both on-Island tests are handled by the local Health Services Directorate and are free of charge.
Procedures for passengers arriving at St Helena Airport
- All arriving passengers must wear a mask or face covering
- When instructed to, disembark the aircraft with your hand luggage
- Proceed to the arrivals hall via the Immigration Desk
- After Immigration you will be asked to proceed via the customs hall to the main concourse whereby you will be given a Lateral Flow Test at Arrivals. Regardless of the test result, all arrivals will enter the mandatory 10-day quarantine
- You will be called forward to the Proper Officer for further questions and the process for quarantine will be explained
- You will then be seated and in groups guided into Baggage Reclaim for your luggage
- After collecting your luggage you need to clear Bio-Security and Customs
- You will then enter the Arrivals Hall, please take a seat as instructed
- When transport is available you will be instructed to collect your luggage and be transported to your quarantine premises.
A flowchart outlining the required steps for travelling to St Helena from Johannesburg is attached to this release.
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