MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands/Brize Norton airbridge flights fully booked; recommendations for challenging September

Mount Pleasant Complex International Airport

The Falkland Islands Government with the UK Ministry of Defense is working on bookings and waiting lists for the airbridge, during the month of September and announced the following release, ”Our community will be aware of the current strain on Airbridge flights where all flights are fully booked, and nearly every flight waitlisted. The cancelled and returned flights in late August has added additional pressure on the availability of Airbridge seats.

”The Falkland Islands Government is working with the Ministry of Defence, and a number of additional seats have been made available on specific flights. Even with these additional seats it is very likely that waitlisted passengers will not be allocated seats for southbound flights in September. The MOD have confirmed that all 66 Northbound passengers waiting will be allocated a seat on September 3.

At the moment MOD have confirmed that for both flights this week and the flight on Monday 9 September 2024 we will have the standard 31 seats allocated for our passengers. This is due to a number of urgent military requirements. After this week we will still have 64 passengers not assigned to a flight and currently these are the numbers for the next few southbound flights.

Monday 9 September 2024 – 41 passengers (10 waitlisted)

Thursday 12 September 2024 - 41 passengers (10 waitlisted)

Monday 16 September 2024 – 37 passengers (6 waitlisted) + 4 St Helena Airlink passengers

Thursday 19 September 2024 – 34 passengers (3 waitlisted) + 5 St Helena Airlink passengers

Monday 23 September 2024 – 36 passengers (5 waitlisted)

As can be seen, as things stand, the problem will continue to worsen throughout September.

FIG is proactively doing all it can to alleviate the pressure on the seats allocated to civilians. This includes, where possible, moving FIG employees, families and guests travelling during this time onto the LATAM route via Santiago and Punta Arenas, in order to free these seats up for those who are unable to travel via South America. However, this option is limited by seat availability, which is likely to fluctuate throughout September.

Throughout September, FIG will be prioritizing all passengers ensuring those who are most vulnerable, or in need, or essential workers and those unable to take other routes, can travel. Prioritization will be reviewed by:

• Those travelling for medical or compassionate reasons

• Students

• Essential workers, such as doctors (where possible these will also be routed via LATAM).

• Travelers with ongoing travel arrangements or with visa issues

• Families with very young children.

• Those remaining travelers by date order of booking

FIG would like to highlight that any further cancelled Airbridge flights will have a severe impact due to the lack of available seats. Those booked on any Airbridge flight until the end of September should be aware that if your flight is cancelled for any reason, there is no mechanism to automatically re-book you on the next flight. This may result in passengers booked on any cancelled flights not being able to travel near to their scheduled date.

FIG is working closely with MOD, while maintaining the continued provision of defense and security for the Islands. Alternative options are limited and we are unable to guarantee to be able to provide seats near the original travel date if further flights are cancelled. It is strongly advisable that passengers have suitable travel insurance, which also provides cover over a reasonable period of time after the planned completion of their journey in the event of such delays.

It is important to remember that:

1. If you have a confirmed booking on an Airbridge flight in September, and you have not been moved to the LATAM flight, your seat will still be available unless there is further disruption.

2. If you have a confirmed booking and choose to move to the LATAM route, or delay your travel, please advise your booking agent as soon as possible so that your seat can be re-allocated to one of the identified priority groups from the waitlist.

3. FIG are usually made aware of additional seat availability 48 hour before the scheduled departure of a flight.