The island of St. Helena, to the west of the African continent is getting its first airport…yes, its first airport. The island, as of now, is only supplied by a ship which arrives once every three weeks. Subsidized by the British government, the island is home to about 4,000 inhabitants, and the cost of living is sky high, with medical treatment being weeks away for those seriously ill.
With the addition of this airport, the island could start to see once-weekly flights between Capetown, Johannesburg, and/or London. You can read more about this fascinating airport in development here. Cargo and supplies will be transported on these flights, allowing citizens to receive the things they need in a more timely fashion.
The BBC produced a really interesting, short documentary about St. Helena, and its worth watching.
Jamie Larounis is an avid traveler, blogger and miles/points educator. Traveling well over 100,000 miles a year and staying in hotels for over 100 nights, he leverages miles, points and other deals to fly in first class cabins, and stay in 5-star hotels. The Forward Cabin shares his experiences, musings, reviews, tips, tricks, resources and industry news with you, the fellow traveler.
I just got back from stanley in the Falklands and I met someone there from Helena