A technical issue given as the reason for the delay which could cause weeks of disruption.
After a 24-hour delay departing Brize Norton, around 140 passengers arrived at Ascension Island on Tuesday morning enroute to the Falkland Islands. They were told in a briefing they would be staying there as the plane had a technical issue and a part was being flown in. The part arrived on Thursday afternoon.
Passengers were then told they would be flying back to the UK on Friday as rotor winds were forecast in the Falklands.
The delays to the airbridge have caused this month’s sitting of Legislative Assembly to be cancelled as an MLA is one of the delayed passengers.
The next flight scheduled to depart the UK for the Falklands is Monday, 2 September. A passenger from the cancelled flight, which has now arrived back at Brize Norton, has told Falklands Radio that no one from that flight will be leaving UK until at least 5 September.
Several teachers were on the returned flight and with the new school term starting on 3 September it’s unclear if teachers will be given priority to fly.
Many Falklands students are also waiting to fly north to begin college and could be delayed.
British Forces South Atlantic Islands is still to respond with more information on the techincal fault.
