Air & Sea

Air Vanuatu announced in late September the acquisition of Vanair, Vanuatu's domestic airline, from the government of the Republic of Vanuatu. Vanuatu has experienced a reported 25 percent increase in Australian tourism this year, and Air Vanuatu Managing Director Jean Paul Virelala says that the addition of Vanair's five aircraft will allow for a more comprehensive marketing approach to tourism in the islands. The acquisition is also expected to streamline marketing, reservations, sales, advertising and accounting between the two airlines. Air Vanuatu plans to increase the frequency and convenience of Vanair connections between Port Villa and outer islands-especially Santo and Tanna-in an effort to sustain the flow of tourism. Vanair currently offers flights to and from 29 ports of the Vanuatu archipelago. web: www.airvanuatu.com; www.vanair.vu

Palau Micronesia Air Gains Momentum

With an inaugural flight through the Federated States of Micronesia in late July, expansion into Darwin and Manila in early August, and a September maiden voyage to Guam, Palau Micronesia Air appears to be in full stride. Company president Alan Seid called the flight a "milestone" for the airline while CEO Robert "Skip" Nelson said "The first flight went well. Everything was very positive including interviews with the press in Guam." Unlike other carriers, PMA offers daytime services to Guam. Previously, the hub and spoke system has dictated nighttime Palau departures as a means to meet connecting flights. Seid said Manila is a key "gateway to Europe and the Asia region," in an interview with the Marianas Variety. Palau has begun accepting Filipino visitors on a visa-free, 30-day stay, extendable to 120 days. In spite of the new routes, however, PMA load factors remain low, and regional competitor Continental Micronesia has begun lowering its fares, with plans to compete aggressively with the fledgling airline. PMA will offer online booking through its website in the near future. web: www.palau-air.com, www.continental.com

North Pacific Shipping Delays Expected

Labor shortages in two California ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are expected to cause shipping delays to destinations in Guam and the North Pacific. A surge of Asian imports have created a backlog of ships to be unloaded, and the California ports do not have the personnel to keep up. Although the ports are training longshoremen at a rate of 250 per week, shipments to Hawaii and Guam will likely be delayed. Matson Navigation Company has confirmed delays of up to seven days, just as Guam prepares for the holiday season. Although many retail stores in Guam are reported to have placed advance orders, there is rising concern about the regularity of produce shipments to the islands.

Auckland Flights To Solomons Resume

Efforts by the Solomons to revive the tourism industry were boosted with the decision of Solomon Airlines to resume, after four years, a direct bi-weekly service to and from Auckland in conjunction with Air Vanuatu. Solomon Airlines was forced to suspend the service that flies via Port Vila when bloody ethnic tensions saw the number of passengers traveling to the Solomons drop dramatically.

Tongan Aviation Battle Not Over Yet

FlyNiu has filed for damages in the Tonga Supreme Court and expects the case to be heard before the end of the year, after having its wings well and truly clipped by the Tongan government. Formed to provide air service in Tonga after the collapse of Royal Tongan Airlines, FlyNiu was competing with another airline, the Air Waves of Vava'u, owned by the Crown Prince Tupouto'a, when the Tongan government announced a new "one airline" policy. A court decision stopping FlyNiu's operations was accepted by FlyNiu CEO 'Atu Finau with much regret. Air Waves of Vava'u, meanwhile, has confirmed its intention to continue using DC-3 aircrafts for outer-island routes, the third of which is expected to arrive in November. In addition, Polynesian Airlines is exploring the possibility of a partnership agreement with the Crown Prince's airline, proposing to fly a new, 37-seat Dash 8 aircraft on the Apia, Pago Pago, Vava'u route.

Mixed Fortunes At Pacific Blue Jason Aubuchon In early September New Caledonia gave approval to Pacific Blue to begin flying twice-weekly routes from Brisbane, Australia. New Caledonia was expected to be the latest Pacific Blue destination, along with Fiji, the Cook Islands and Vanuatu. Although the airline's inaugural flight to New Caledonia is scheduled in mid-October, at the time of going to press that appears unlikely. Pacific Blue representative David Huttner has placed the new route on hold until concerns over alledge travel agent boycotts and high airport prices in Noumea can be addressed. Moreover, Huttner is awaiting approval to land flights originating from Melbourne and Sydney, where the primary Australian tourist market originates. New Caledonia government officials have stated that Pacific Blue only applied to fill two slots that had been unused for some time by Qantas, and continues to deny unfair treatment toward the airline. Meanwhile Pacific Blue has applied for a Cook Islands air services license to fly Sydney-Rarotonga via Christchurch in New Zealand's South Island by Nov. 20. According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Civil Aviation Ngamau Munokoa the approval by her government is the "only official approval left" for the airline. In early September Pacific Blue, which provides customers with low airfares, was given approval by Australia to operate the weekly B737-800 services to the Cook Islands. Pacific Blue's application has received overwhelming support from the private sector. Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce has supported the airline's application saying that the service is timely since it will provide dedicated flights from Australia. With additional reporting by Ulamila Kurai-Marrie Jason Aubuchon can be contacted at jasona@pacificbasin.net