FIGAS Flights Guide: How Inter-Island Flying Works in the Falklands

FIGAS is the Falkland Islands’ domestic air service and the normal way for visitors to reach many outer islands. The key thing to understand is that it does not operate like a conventional airline with a fixed public timetable. Routes and timings are assembled around the travel requirements for each day, and the next day’s schedule is issued the afternoon before departure.

FIGAS at a glance

• Service: Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS)
• Role: domestic/inter-island flying
• Main hub: Stanley Airport
• Aircraft commonly used: 10-seat Britten-Norman Islander aircraft
• Timetable: daily routing is planned rather than fixed far in advance
• Visitor baggage allowance: currently 20 kg
• Passenger weights: first-time passengers should be prepared to provide fully dressed body weights
• Weather/operations: timings and routing can change

How booking works

If a Falklands tour operator is arranging your trip, it will normally organize the FIGAS sectors. Independent travelers can book directly, but the official tourism guidance recommends confirming accommodation before requesting flights. FIGAS asks for travel dates, passenger numbers and the origin and destination.

The official guidance says bookings should be made by 10am the day before travel, but that should not be interpreted as a reason to leave an important holiday sector until the last minute. Accommodation capacity on outer islands is limited, so build the itinerary as a connected plan.

Why you do not get a normal timetable months ahead

FIGAS describes itself as operating more like an air-taxi service than a scheduled airline. The routing is built around that day’s demand, aircraft planning and operational conditions. A flight may make intermediate stops before reaching your island. That is part of normal inter-island travel, not necessarily a disruption.

The next day’s schedule is published during the afternoon before travel. Accommodation providers or travel agents receive it, and official visitor information notes that it is also shared through FIGAS channels and local radio. Provide a local contact number so operational updates can reach you.

Baggage and passenger weights

Small-aircraft weight and balance matters. Visitors currently have a 20 kg personal baggage allowance. FIGAS asks travelers to flag expected excess baggage in advance and says carriage of undeclared excess cannot be guaranteed. First-time travelers should also be ready to provide accurate body weights while fully dressed.

That makes a compact packing strategy useful. Our Falkland Islands packing list is designed around both outdoor conditions and inter-island flying.

What the flight experience is like

Stanley Airport is the service hub. Outside Stanley and Mount Pleasant, many landings use grass or all-weather airstrips. The small aircraft and multi-stop routing make flying part of the Falklands experience: you get broad views of coastlines, settlements and open countryside that are impossible to appreciate from the road.

Build flexibility into an island-hopping itinerary

Weather and operational needs can affect small-aircraft travel, so avoid designing a chain of connections with no recovery time before a major international departure. The farther your itinerary moves into remote islands, the more valuable a buffer becomes. This is especially important if missing one sector would also mean missing a separately booked flight or cruise.

Our independent Falklands trip planner explains how to sequence accommodation and transport, while the official Falkland Islands Tourist Board air-travel page should be checked for current FIGAS procedures.

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