The voyage originally intended as her final one began on 14 June 2016 from the UK and ended on 15 July in Cape Town, calling at Tenerife, Ascension Island and St Helena. As part of its farewell voyage, Royal Mail organised a letter exchange with pupils from Cardiff and St Helena. However, due to the postponed opening of the airport, the schedule of RMS "St Helena" was extended as an interim measure. The ship was initially scheduled to run until July 2017, and then February 2018. After the opening of Saint Helena Airport to scheduled passenger flights on 14 October 2017, RMS "St Helena" was withdrawn from service, and her last sailing from St Helena Island was on 10 February 2018.