The St Helena Government (SHG) acknowledges the significant disruption and concern caused by the current suspension of commercial air services.

We wish to provide the community with a comprehensive update on the progress being made to restore full operations, and the information we have available to date. To that end and to address a number of the questions raised by members of the public, we have prepared a Q&A document. It can be accessed here: https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/airport-closure-qa/. We will continue to update the document as the situation changes.

Current Status and Safety Measures

Following intensive work by the St Helena Airport team and the St Helena Fire and Rescue Service, the regulator has granted approval for the airport to operate at Category 4. This allows for Medevac flights and small executive-type jets to land on St Helena, providing a viable route for spare parts and additional technical expertise, as well as time critical overseas medical referrals.

Due to an incident overnight, we now expect a Medevac flight to take place tomorrow. This flight is operating to the same timescales as would normally be the case. This should reassure the public that essential medical services are fully operational.

Whilst this is a vital step in maintaining a lifeline to the island, we stress that Category 4 is not a replacement for commercial services. Airlink have currently suspended future bookings to St Helena. This should not be taken as an indication of how long the disruption will last and flights will only be cancelled on a flight-by-flight basis, as necessary. 

As of today, 10 February 2026, only flights for 7, 10, 14 and 15 February 2026 have been cancelled.

Restoring the airport to Category 6, required for Airlink’s commercial flights, as soon as possible remains our highest priority.

The Path to Restoration

We are pursuing multiple short and long-term solutions in parallel, including:

  • Immediate Repairs: Specialised spare parts are currently en route from Germany. They are expected to arrive on-island later this week. Fitting, reassembly and testing are complex and will take a number of days. Although confident in the approach being taken, success will only be certain once the testing has been completed.
  • Fleet Replacement: With the potential support of the UK Government, subject to certain conditions, we are seeking two new fire appliances. As these are highly specialised vehicles, they are typically built to order; however, we are actively exploring all alternatives for both temporary and permanent replacements.

We are working with the regulator across all solutions to understand how we can safely achieve a return to Category 6 status for normal operations to resume as soon as possible.

Residents Overseas

To assist with repatriation at the earliest opportunity, we are currently relocating residents from Cape Town to Johannesburg. We are aware that, for many, the health provisions of travel insurance may be running out. Although it is not a mandatory requirement in South Africa, we strongly recommend that you speak with Solomons and extend your cover if you are affected. 

Operational Response and Community Support

Gold Command is continuing to meet daily, coordinating efforts locally and internationally. The Major Incident Response Plan is functioning effectively, with personnel across various agencies working around the clock.

For those requiring assistance, refer to the contact points at the bottom of this press release for matters regarding on-island support.

Public Discourse and Professionalism

SHG remains committed to a transparent review of these events at an appropriate time, once the operational response is no longer the primary focus.

Whilst we welcome constructive feedback and recognise the right of the public to express frustration or criticism, we must address the nature of recent online commentary. However, we do not condone discrimination nor racism. Abuse directed toward St Helena Airport or SHG staff will also not be tolerated. Our teams are working tirelessly to resolve this crisis and they deserve a safe and respectful environment in order to do this.

We thank the community for its continued patience and resilience. This situation will not be resolved overnight, but we are moving as quickly and safely as possible to return to normal operations.

Contacts

For all affected passengers, information regarding flight bookings, travel logistics, accommodation, and other travel-related support is available from Solomons Travel Agency directly at 22523 or  flights@solomons.co.sh.

Any immigration concerns can be directed to cienquiries@sainthelena.gov.sh.

For pharmacy assistance or general health-related questions, please contact Jamestown Hospital at 22500 during normal opening hours.

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