Flight ban to Helgoland: Travelers have to switch to ferries!

Flight ban to Helgoland: Travelers have to switch to ferries!

The popular North Sea island of Helgoland is facing an uncertain summer season 2025. The reason for this is the temporary suspension of air traffic by Ostfriesische Flug-Service GmbH (OFD). No plane is currently allowed to start because the new, modern Tecnam P2006T machines are still waiting for the approval of the Federal Aviation Office. The old Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander have now been retired, which makes the journey more difficult. As moin.de , travelers have to access shipping until the new machines are released.

At the moment, several ships from the port of Cuxhaven are available to pave the way to the island. Among other things, the seaside ship "Helgoland" brings passengers to the island in about 2.5 hours, while the catamaran "Northern Light" mastered the route in about 75 minutes. The “Halunder Jet” from Hamburg is also a popular connection. However, the travelers have to be patient, because with the absence of flights, traveling over water becomes the only possibility of reaching Helgoland.

flight connection again in sight?

as if that weren't enough, the new Tecnam P2006T aircraft, which were originally supposed to be used at the start of the season 2025, are already delivered, but their approval has not yet been granted. The approval procedure at the Federal Aviation Authority extends, and the OFD does not expect a positive outcome before the end of July 2025. Until then, the travelers are dependent on the ferries. The Co-CEO of Ostfriesische Flug-Service GmbH, which is in a constant exchange with the authorities, finds that a return to the old fleet is excluded because the spare parts stock for the old machines was dismantled. This creates additional uncertainty for the main travel time.

The new machines only offer space for four passengers plus pilot, which is a step backwards compared to the previous aircraft with ten seats. Despite these adversity, Helgoland remains a sought -after goal, especially in the summer season, when numerous shipping companies serve the route. In previous years, this little island was a magnet for tourists who wanted to enjoy the sea air and untouched nature. But without flights, vacationers may have to rethink their travel schedule.

alternative arrival pathways

For those who want to visit Helgoland, the website of the Helgoland Tourismus-Services also support support for arrival and also in search of accommodation. The travel times from mainland to Helgoland are usually 20 to 30 minutes, but the arrival remains limited to the port of Cuxhaven in winter.

Thus, Helgoland is now facing the challenge of remaining attractive to travel even in turbulent times. With the upcoming summer, it is exciting to wait and see whether the new aircraft will be approved in good time in order to enable travelers to travel by plane again.