A Titan Airways Airbus A321-253NX(LR) has successfully landed at St. Helena Airport (HLE), marking another successful mission for the charter airline to the island.
The aircraft arrived just around 10:00 AM GMT (local time) following a scheduled stopover and refueling touchdown in Accra, Ghana, where it departed at approximately 6:30 AM.
Although not confirmed officially it is thought the arrival is part of a planned, pre-emptive relocation of higher-risk individuals who may have been exposed to hantavirus. The individuals are being transferred to the United Kingdom this weekend to complete their required isolation periods within close proximity to specialised medical care.
Local health authorities have said in a press release from official sources that this transfer is a purely precautionary measure. None of the individuals scheduled for the relocation flight are currently showing any symptoms of illness.
This is not the first time Titan Airways has been called upon to assist St. Helena with travel logistics. The airline famously operated vital repatriation and emergency medical supply flights to the island during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, including a historic landing by a Titan Boeing 757, which at the time was the largest passenger jet ever to touch down at HLE in St Helena. The airline’s return with the modern Airbus A321LR highlights its ongoing role in providing long-range, direct air links between the UK and St Helena.
It is a busy day for the St. Helena Airport which is accommodating a double-arrival. In addition to the morning Titan Airways flight, the weekly scheduled Airlink flight from South Africa is also inbound and on schedule to arrive at approximately 1:00 PM local time.