Tonga’s Lulutai Airlines Grounded Over Safety Compliance Issues

Lulutai Airlines has suspended all in-house operations after Tonga’s Civil Aviation Division revoked its Part 145 maintenance certificate due to safety violations. The grounding, which began July 18, 2025, follows an audit that uncovered breaches of Civil Aviation Rules. The suspension will remain in effect until the airline adopts corrective measures, the regulator said.

The suspension affects Lulutai’s two in-house aircraft: a Harbin Y12 (A3-SPV) and a De Havilland DHC-6-300 Twin Otter (A3-KLT), both grounded and parked at Tongatapu, according to Flightradar24. As a result, Lulutai Airlines has halted services to remote island destinations including Eua, Ha’apai, Niuafo’ou, and Niuatoputapu.

The disruption has stranded dozens of passengers, including Tonga’s Minister of Tourism Mo’ale Finau, who is reportedly stuck in Ha’apai. Foreign tourists have also been left unable to reach resort islands, impacting travel plans during the peak season.

While in-house operations are suspended, the airline continues to operate its leased Saab 340B (ZK-CIZ) from New Zealand-based Air Chathams on the Tongatapu-Vava’u route. However, the 34-seat aircraft is unable to land at the smaller island runways due to size and operational limitations.

The timing is especially challenging for Lulutai Airlines, which has been struggling financially and is reportedly in talks with a new investor for a potential capital injection. The suspension could delay those efforts and further strain the airline’s operations if not resolved quickly.

Lulutai is working to restore services as soon as regulatory compliance is achieved and approvals are reinstated.

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