Pacific Blue flights to Tonga start soon [1]
Thursday, October 13, 2005 - 14:15. Updated on Friday, May 9, 2014 - 20:14.
A new air service flying directly to Tonga from Sydney and Auckland will be launched on October 31 by Pacific Blue, the head of Virgin Blue's Commercial International division, Karam Chand, confirmed in Nuku'alofa yesterday.
He was visiting Tonga with the Pacific Blue General Sales Manager, Harish Chandra, both from Brisbane.
"The goal of our trip is to do the last preparations before our flights begin, and mainly on the operation side at Fua...amotu Airport, where we have to install our equipment and train people on how our aircraft is being loaded and unloaded, as well as doing our check ins," he said.
Karma said that the booking of flights can be carried out by all travel agents in Tonga, but in two weeks time they will appoint a local travel agent as a General Sales Agent to market and sell their product to the Tongan people.
Cheap airfares
The parent company Virgin Blue is known for its cheap airfares. Karam said their cost structure is lower than other airlines, because they have designed a business model that reduces the cost of operation. "For example the airline has a fleet of 51 aircraft all in one type, the Boeing 737 ... 800, and there they save costs on pilot training and spare parts."
He said that customers are firstly attracted to their cheap fares, followed by their schedules. "It is basically value and choice - value in terms of the cheap airfares and choice in terms of what they need, if they want to eat a hot meal or watch a movie on board they have the choice to either pay for it or not.
"But even though we are a low fare airline we are by no means a low thrill airline. The Boeing 737-800 has 180 seats capacity, all in economy class, seats are leather printed and comfortable with various hot meals and drinks to choose from all at reasonable prices."
Karam said that the Pacific Blue will fly Auckland/Tonga three times a week, on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. The Sydney/Tonga will be twice a week, on Monday and Thursday.
Polynesian Blue
Meanwhile, another service will be run by a new Polynesian Blue airline, which according to Karma, is a designated airline of Samoa.
"Virgin Blue is just taking part in running the business, it is still Samoa...s airline."
Karam said after their evaluation of the Samoa...Tonga market they came to the conclusion that it suited a smaller aircraft, but because Virgin Blue's aircrafts are fairly large they felt the best solution for both markets was to fly direct non stop from one destination to the other instead of Tonga ... via Apia- Auckland.
Polynesian Airlines is currently flying twice a week from Auckland and Sydney and in each flight they offer about 40 seats for the Tongan market, with Pacific Blue it offers 180 seats per flight because the plane is not shared by any other destination.
Karma said that the decision to include Tonga in their Pacific Blue network was because they could see that there was an opportunity here because the Polynesian Airlines will cease its flights to Tonga from Auckland and Sydney on October 31.
"We are confident that the Tonga market is viable, that is why we are coming here."
Karam and Harish returned to Brisbane today but will be back in Tonga on October 31 on board the Pacific Blue...s inaugural flight.