Air Vanuatu Resumes Scheduled Charters

Air Vanuatu (NF, Port Vila) is set to resume limited charter operations this week, marking a significant milestone towards the full restoration of its domestic flight services. The announcement was made by administrator Ernst & Young (EY) on August 5.

This move follows a three-month suspension imposed by the Vanuatu government, which had placed the state-owned airline into administration.

Morgan Kelly, EY partner and administrator, emphasized the importance of this development: “The resumption of Air Vanuatu flights is critical for the restructuring of the airline. We are committed to restarting services safely and reliably, with this initial step of resuming scheduled charter flights paving the way for the full resumption of domestic services.”

The restart will utilize one ATR72-600 and two DHC-6-300 aircraft. The recent training and verification flights have prepared the airline for this phased return to operation. According to EY, the revival of Air Vanuatu’s domestic services is vital for the nation’s 300,000 residents, who live across more than 60 islands. However, no decision has yet been made regarding the potential resumption of international flights.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com