‘Saints’ honoured with their own airport at last

After years of vacillation the British Government has finally agreed to underwrite the cost of an airport on the South Atlantic island of Saint Helena and has issued a Design, Build and Operate (DBO) contract for USD340 million. The 4000 islanders, known as 'Saints', who rely on an infrequent mail ship to leave and return to their British Overseas Territory home, will within four years have a much more frequent method of access and egress, as long as airlines can be convinced of the value of operating there. But the fact the DBO contractor is a South African company speaks volumes about the UK airport industry's inability to finance and build infrastructure, even on its own 'turf'.