Air Nauru Links Tarawa To The Outside World

Air Kiribati may have had its international wing clipped following the premature return of its leased ATR-72 to its French manufacturer in March, but not all is lost. The country's air links with the outside world is intact still, thanks to Air Nauru, the national carrier of Kiribati's politically beleaguered western neighbour: Nauru.

Air Nauru's sole Boeing 737-400 flies into Tarawa's Bonriki International Airport four times a week, two of those commencing from Brisbane and the other two being the return flights from Nadi.

But this is going to change soon with the possibility that Air Nauru will finally solve one of Kiribati's long-standing aviation issue: providing a direct air link between the country's capital to that of its eastern-most island, Christmas, some 3800km away.

"We have had very recent discussions with the Kiribati Ministry of Transport and Air Kiribati and we have canvassed a number of areas where commercial opportunities may be developed between the airlines of both countries," explains John Goulding, Air Nauru's commercial manager.

"One such avenue identified was the possibility of covering the Tarawa, Christmas Island and Honolulu sectors, which both carriers are exploring.

"We are also looking at some code-sharing by Air Kiribati on Air Nauru sectors." If the Tarawa/Christmas/Honolulu service does eventuate, it will bring a huge sigh of relief to President Anote Tong and his administration. It will mean huge savings as well. For now, civil servants or locals wanting to travel by air from the capital to Christmas have to do so via Majuro or Nadi, then onto Honolulu in Hawaii where they will then await a chartered flight back to Christmas. So to travel to the east of Kiribati, a I-Kiribati requires an American visa, something that will have to be obtained in person from the United States Embassy in Fiji.

While the new route is still under discussion, Air Nauru has confirmed the addition of another destination to its current island hopping service between Brisbane and Nadi. From July, Majuro, capital of the Marshall Islands, will be the added stopover.

The new service will provide a link from Australia to Majuro via Honiara (Solomon Islands) and Nauru on Monday morning and from Majuro to Fiji, via Tarawa, on Monday afternoon. The return service will be on Friday.

"The Marshall Islands has been well serviced by other airlines on an east-west direction between Hawaii and Guam. But there has been no convenient air service that links the Marshall Islands to the South Pacific or Australia," said Goulding.

"Air Nauru's new service will open up new transport links and new opportunities for business, tourism, health, education and generally social contact." Air Nauru believes there has been a huge increase in trade between Australia and the Marshalls in recent years and with its membership of the Pacific Islands Forum, interactions with other islands nations have similarly increased.

The Majuro stopover comes on top of the codeshare agreement Air Nauru has with Solomon Airlines which was signed early in the year, providing that much needed link between Honiara and Brisbane. The agreement means that around 120 seats a week are sold to Solomon Airlines.

"From Honiara, Air Nauru is able to pick up passengers bound for our other destinations: Nauru, Majuro, Tarawa and Nadi: and in reverse bring passengers from those ports to Honiara.

"The arrangement is working well and Air Nauru has appointed Solomon Airlines as its general sales agent for the Solomon Islands." After years of political interference and mismanagement including the near seizure of its only leased aircraft in July last year, Air Nauru seems to be flying with a lot more optimism and confidence these days.

Services are now dependable with the aircraft increasingly keeping to its flight schedule. Goulding attributes the new image to a highly motivated staff.

"Over the past few years, the business of the airline has strengthened and many of the problems that plagued Air Nauru in the past have been overcome.

"This means that the airline can concentrate on further improvements and developments that will grow its business and sustain its future and this, of course, creates greater optimism and commitment by staff."