New air services for Tonga [1]
Wednesday, September 28, 2005 - 18:30. Updated on Thursday, May 8, 2014 - 22:23.
When Virgin Blue starts flying to Tonga from Sydney and Auckland on October 31 with its renown cheap airfares, it could start a price war with the other airlines currently serving Tonga - Air New Zealand who launches a new Airbus service on the same date, Polynesian Airlines who have recently increased flights to Tonga, and Air Pacific.
The secretary of the Tonga Ministry of Civil Aviation, Mapa Faletau, said on September 26 that his ministry had approved 99.9% of the Air Certificate of Virgin Blue, "recognizing it as an Australian designated carrier."
Mapa said that the signing of the remaining documents would be completed next week when a Virgin Blue team arrives in Tonga.
The Virgin Blue Head of Strategy and Communication David Huttner visited Tonga last September. He met the Prime Minister and Minister of Civil Aviation, Prince ...Ulukalala Lavaka Ata and offered a proposal to service Tonga.
"We in return were pushing for the new service for Tonga because they not only offer the lowest airfares but their Pacific Blue airfares are all year round," said Mapa.
The Auckland to Tonga service will fly three days a week on Monday, Thursday and Saturday with a special launching fare.
The direct flights between Sydney and Tonga will fly on Monday and Thursday with Pacific Blue offering a Tonga Take off launch fare.
Air New Zealand Airbus
Air New Zealand on the same date, October 31 will launch its Airbus A320, Auckland/Tonga daytime service. The airbus with a seating capacity of 138 Economy Class and eight business class will fly into Tonga once a week, every Monday.
'Eiko 'Ahokava from the Air New Zealand Nuku'alofa agency said that the new Airbus service would not replace the early Monday Boeing 737 of Air NZ, "it will be an additional Air New Zealand flight, arriving in the morning."
Starting on October 31 Air New Zealand will fly Auckland/Tonga return twice on Monday, and once on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Air New Zealand also flies once a week to Los Angeles via Apia and return.
Polynesian
Polynesian Airlines also fly into Tonga every day excepting Sunday, and is connecting Tonga to Sydney, Auckland, Wellington, Honolulu and Apia.
Polynesian Airlines flies into Tonga twice on Monday, and Saturday, four times on Friday and once on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Air Pacific
The other international airline that is connecting Tonga to the outside world is Air Pacific. Air Pacific offers a Nadi/Tonga return air service three times a week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. These flights continue on from Nadi to Honolulu and to Los Angeles.