Page 14 - IB JAN 2017

Aviation

Skies fill with new birds

The new air deal between Tonga and Samoa using leased Saab 340B aircraft similar to the one pictured below will boost travel between the two countries. Photos: FIle
Air deals to

boost Tonga,

Samoa arrivals

POLYNESIAN neighbours Tonga and
Samoa hope to boost visitor numbers
to their islands with increased flights
between the destinations this year.
Real Tonga has announced planned
services using its leased Saab340B on
international services from Fua’amotu
International on Tongatapu to Faleolo
in Samoa.
While Real Tonga would like to use its Tongan Government. from US Department of Transportation
larger MA-60 which has a greater cargo Real Tonga CEO, Tevita Palu, the to begin flights to Pago Pago, American
and passenger capacity, the Chinese- MA-60 would initially operate a weekly Samoa.
built turbo prop airliner does not meet return service to Vava’u although this Its application for a Foreign Air Carri-
Samoa’s aviation industry standards. could increase if there was sufficient ers Permit has been tentatively approved
Real Tonga only resumed commercial cargo and passenger demand. and is linked to permission for Talofa
MA-60 operations on the Tongatapu- Tonga has not had a real international to operate scheduled and charter flights
Vava’u route in September due to a long- presence since the failure of Royal Ton- ferrying passengers, property and mail
standing dispute over the aircraft with gan which first operated with Air Pa- from points behind Samoa via Samoa
New Zealand civil aviation authorities. cific (now Fiji Airways) using a Boeing and intermediate points.
The aircraft was withdrawn from 737-700 aircraft and later alone with its Talofa will use to Commander 690B
service in February 2015 after the short-lived Boeing 757. aircraft from Fagalii International in to
Tongan Government cancelled a lease Several international airlines – Fiji Vava’u returning through Pago Pago.
agreement. Airways, Air New Zealand and Virgin It will offer multiple-daily return
This was after the kingdom expe- – operate to Fua’amotu International. passenger flights between Samoa and
rienced intense pressure from New Fiji Airways, Real Tonga and Talofa its American neighbour alongside bi-
Zealand for operating the aircraft which operate flights to the tourism destina- weekly cargo-only flights between the
claimed the aircraft had not been prop- tion of Vava’u. two cities.
erly type-certified in line with interna- Real Tonga currently operates a broad It is understood that Talofa will oper-
tional norms. After months of regulatory variety of aircraft which including the ate three weekly services between Apia
negotiations, Tonga signed a four-year Chinese version of the De-Havilland and Pago Pago through either Vava’u
lease contract for the aircraft with Real Twin Otter – the Harbin Y-12, a Jetstream or Tongatapu with two all-cargo flights
Tonga Airlines in August 2016. The 32 and a Britten Norman islander. a week on the same route.
MA-60 was a gift from China to the It is awaiting an exemption authority n Invictus News and Features Service

14 Islands Business, January 2017