Air & Sea
Air & Sea
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Royal Tongan Airlines Grounded Royal Tongan Airlines has discontinued service. After beginning international routes in late November, the government is now facing a financial crisis amid reports of the repossession of its Boeing 757, which is leased from Brunei. It had been reported that fuel suppliers, travel agents and other airlines insisted on cash exchanges when doing business with the airline. The cessation of international service had stranded some 500 passengers, most of whom have been accommodated on Air New Zealand. Royal Tongan Airlines says that its domestic service remains operational. Australia has offered to assist the airline by providing expertise in company restructuring, leasing and commercial management of air routes, but has said it is unlikely they will inject any capital into the airline. A recent audit estimated the airline was operating at a 34 percent load factor, and required an infusion of US$10 million to continue service. - ADVERTISEMENT -
Palau Airline Delays Inaugural Flight Palau Micronesia Air won't take flight until July 2004, according to airline President Alan Seid. PMA had originally planned to begin service in April 2004 with a Boeing 737 and support from Aloha Airlines, according to early business plans. But with Aloha pulling out last year and the surprise withdrawal of operational assistance from Air New Zealand in late February, Palau Micronesia Air has been forced through a series of delays. The industry-standard overhaul of the airline's leased aircraft has been slower than expected, but current plans have ticket sales beginning in mid-May. "It hurts to postpone it, but that's the business world," Seid said in a recent interview with the Pacific Daily News on Guam. Continued Growth For Air Tahiti Nui Air Tahiti Nui, which currently operates under code-share agreements with Air France and Qantas, has recently partnered with Japan Airlines. According to Tahiti Presse, the new JAL agreement enables Air Tahiti Nui to sell seats to Tahiti on JAL flights out of Japan's 10 largest cities. The agreement took effect April 20th. The airline has also recently announced plans to add direct flights to New York and Sydney, beginning in June 2005. By that time Air Tahiti Nui will have added its fifth Airbus A340-300 to its fleet, and recent marketing reports project a 10 percent increase in passenger traffic as a result of the new routes. The airline was voted "Best Pacific Airline 2003" by SkyTrax Research, Inc. early this year. More PNG Security Lapses On the heels of major security gaps in Papua New Guinea airports, the most glaring of which was the Air Niugini passenger who arrived in Singapore with a pistol in his carry-on last month, come two additional incidents. A North Solomons woman was stabbed to death at the Kagamuga airport on March 31st while checking in for an afternoon flight to Port Moresby. When asked about security issues at the terminal, Air Niugini officials replied that their security personnel are not mandated to screen public check-in areas. As disturbing is the early-April arrest of Albert Punjimil, a 55-year-old man accused of carrying dynamite (and a detonator) in his briefcase on a flight to Lorengau, PNG, ensuring that port security issues within PNG continue to draw international attention. Majuro Seeks Help With Runway Repairs The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has put the Republic of the Marshall Islands on notice that it must resurface its runway at its main international airport. If the needed repairs are not implemented soon, the FAA will direct US carriers to cease service to Majuro-a move that will effectively close the Marshall Islands to most international travel. At the request of the RMI government, a Japan government survey team has made plans to visit Majuro before August to assess funding possibilities. The estimated cost of the repairs is $20 million.
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