Virgin returns to Vila, Air NZ might be looking at resumption

BTN News
Thursday, 26 May 2016

Vanuatu is eager for Air NZ to resume flights to Port Vila’s Bauerfield Airport, the country’s main tourism and air cargo portal. This follows the resumption this week of Virgin Australia flights into the airport which has undergone interim remedial work to counter runway problems.

 

The two carriers – and Qantas via a codeshare arrangement with Air Vanuatu – withdrew in late January, citing safety worries.

Other airlines, including national carrier Air Vanuatu, Fiji Airways, Air Niugini, Solomon Airlines and Aircalin continued flying into Vila. Domestic services continued as normal.

While these airlines maintained a reasonable traffic flow, the loss of Air NZ and Virgin Australia flights has had an effect on the Vanuatu economy.

Virgin Australia’s resumption has been welcomed but an element of resentment is evident about Air NZ’s refusal to return.

NZ is not only a vital source of inbound tourism for Vanuatu but NZ companies are also heavily involved in agriculture and commercial sectors while many ni-Vanuatu are employed in NZ under a seasonal work program which remits significant funds, including to smaller communities in outlying islands.

Bakoa Kaltongga, chairman of Airports Vanuatu and political adviser to the Ministry of Agriculture and Public Utilities said this week that the loss of Air NZ services had led to some small tourism businesses closing down and other operators suffering.

But there might be a solution on the horizon.

Kaltongga, who is a former minister of foreign affairs said Air NZ had indicated it would meet Vanuatu officials in June.

Bauerfield and Santo’s Pekoa Airport – which has limited international links currently but is targeted for significant growth – are both slated for major revamps, funded by the World Bank.

All parties agree this will sort things out in the longer term but it was the state of Bauerfield – built by US troops in World War II and suffering from some limitations despite periodic upgrades – that caused Air NZ’s rather dramatic withdrawal in January.

Since then Australasian infrastructure specialist Fulton Hogan has undertaken a remedial project dealing with key issues.

But last month Air NZ said it wasn’t 100% happy about the outcome.

Stephen Hunt, the carrier’s GM flight operations wrote to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vanuatu saying Air NZ would only consider resuming services once a permanent solution for the runway had been fully funded, designed to a satisfactory standard and contracted to a competent contractor.

“We continue to monitor the situation in Port Vila and we’re encouraged with the Vanuatu Government progressing the current World Bank Pacific Aviation Investment Program in relation to Bauerfield.”

Kaltongga’s comments this week suggest Air NZ might be willing to review the situation, especially with other carriers happy to use the airport’s interim improvements.

Virgin returns to Vila, Air NZ might be looking at resumption

BTN News
Thursday, 26 May 2016

Vanuatu is eager for Air NZ to resume flights to Port Vila’s Bauerfield Airport, the country’s main tourism and air cargo portal. This follows the resumption this week of Virgin Australia flights into the airport which has undergone interim remedial work to counter runway problems.

 

The two carriers – and Qantas via a codeshare arrangement with Air Vanuatu – withdrew in late January, citing safety worries.

Other airlines, including national carrier Air Vanuatu, Fiji Airways, Air Niugini, Solomon Airlines and Aircalin continued flying into Vila. Domestic services continued as normal.

While these airlines maintained a reasonable traffic flow, the loss of Air NZ and Virgin Australia flights has had an effect on the Vanuatu economy.

Virgin Australia’s resumption has been welcomed but an element of resentment is evident about Air NZ’s refusal to return.

NZ is not only a vital source of inbound tourism for Vanuatu but NZ companies are also heavily involved in agriculture and commercial sectors while many ni-Vanuatu are employed in NZ under a seasonal work program which remits significant funds, including to smaller communities in outlying islands.

Bakoa Kaltongga, chairman of Airports Vanuatu and political adviser to the Ministry of Agriculture and Public Utilities said this week that the loss of Air NZ services had led to some small tourism businesses closing down and other operators suffering.

But there might be a solution on the horizon.

Kaltongga, who is a former minister of foreign affairs said Air NZ had indicated it would meet Vanuatu officials in June.

Bauerfield and Santo’s Pekoa Airport – which has limited international links currently but is targeted for significant growth – are both slated for major revamps, funded by the World Bank.

All parties agree this will sort things out in the longer term but it was the state of Bauerfield – built by US troops in World War II and suffering from some limitations despite periodic upgrades – that caused Air NZ’s rather dramatic withdrawal in January.

Since then Australasian infrastructure specialist Fulton Hogan has undertaken a remedial project dealing with key issues.

But last month Air NZ said it wasn’t 100% happy about the outcome.

Stephen Hunt, the carrier’s GM flight operations wrote to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vanuatu saying Air NZ would only consider resuming services once a permanent solution for the runway had been fully funded, designed to a satisfactory standard and contracted to a competent contractor.

“We continue to monitor the situation in Port Vila and we’re encouraged with the Vanuatu Government progressing the current World Bank Pacific Aviation Investment Program in relation to Bauerfield.”

Kaltongga’s comments this week suggest Air NZ might be willing to review the situation, especially with other carriers happy to use the airport’s interim improvements.