Spumante corks were popping, along with cheers of relief at the FlyNiu Airlines office after the granting at 12.37 pm by Chief Justice Webster of an injunction quashing the revocation of the FlyNiu Airline licence to operate by the Civil Aviation on August 14.

The CEO of FlyNiu, 'Atu Finau said that their first flight to Vava'u would take off shortly thereafter at 12.15 p.m. 'Atu said that the injunction reinstated their licence until its expiry date on September 15.

He said that FlyNiu would continue with their development plan, which included a second aircraft to fly to the Niuas and 'Eua. The second aircraft was to arrive last Friday but 'Atu said that it was delayed by the revocation of their licence and that it should be in Tonga within two to four weeks time.

Meanwhile, the injunction was a slap in the face for Tonga's Civil Aviation decision makers and their one-airline policy.

Yesterday afternoon at the Civil Aviation Office, the Secretary for Civil Aviation, Mapa Faletau congratulated the Crown Prince Tupouto'a, that his airline Peau Vava'u had been chosen to be the sole provider for domestic air service in Tonga (pictured). Crown Prince Tupouto'a said that the DC3 of Peau Vava'u could land at the Niuas.