During the week before Christmas international and domestic flights have increased to meet the demand of travellers during the peak holiday season in Tonga.

Air New Zealand has increased capacity with extra 767 flights in and out of Tonga since the start of December.

Melenaite Veikune of the Kingdom Travel Centre said today that their normal schedule was usually one Boeing 767 with 230 seats capacity per week.

“From December 15-21 we had two 767 flights plus an extra flight on Friday.”

The additional flights will continue this week with four 767 flights, plus an extra flight on Tuesday and Friday, totaling eight flights from December 22-28.

She said for the New Year holiday, there were three 767 flights scheduled from December 29-31.

Domestic

At the same time, Tonga’s sole domestic airline Real Tonga has also increased flights.

The Commercial Manager Fakatele Faletau said they had additional services to Vava’u.

He said the airline operated two MA60 flights per day and an extra J-32 flight last week. “Before Christmas, we will have three MA60 flights per day.

“Flights are full and there is demand both ways...and we will mount further services if there is demand,” he said.

Flights to Ha'apai were also filling up. “For ‘Eua it is not so full but we are launching special fares T$50 one-way in either direction to encourage our locals to take the seven minute flight,” he said.

The airline's MA60 has 50 seats while J-32 is a 19-seater aircraft.

Meanwhile, Christmas in the central business district of the capital has been very quiet this year. apart from the flea market which was buzzing with activity on Vuna Road on Friday and Saturday.