The domestic air service between Tongatapu and Vava'u was restored at mid-day today when a DC3 aircraft of Pion Air left with 23 passengers on its maiden flight to Vava'u.

For a month the domestic air service for Tonga has been at a stand still after the Royal Tongan Airlines closed-shop on May 17, but the busy Tongatapu-Vava'u air route has attracted a number of contenders to operate the service.

The Pion Air was the first to be successful with its application after rescheduling its flights a number of times because of a delay in the processing of its application for a licence. But today was a happy day for the airlines and a number of travellers who had been stranded due to the sudden stoppage of RTA.

The Pion Air, a New Zealand company, is operating in Tonga in affiliation with a local counterpart, Vava'u Airwaves.

Mosikaka Moengangongo of the Vava'u Airwaves said that the DC 3 would only fly the routes of Vava'u and Ha'apai and they were looking at flying everyday.

They planned to start off with two flights to Vava'u on June 9, and flights to Ha'apai on June 10.

Mosi also said that within a month they would be bringing in a 9 seater aircraft to service the two Niuas and 'Eua.

A second operator, the Flyniu Airlines, a local company with a Dash 8 aircraft is standing by at the Fua'amotu Airport awaiting their Operator Certificate. Atu Finau the CEO of Flyniu Airlines was hopeful that they would be given a licence to start flying this week.

Fly Niu Airlines whose Dash 8 aircraft arrived at Fua'amotu airport on
June 7 said that it was leasing the aircraft from Air National of New Zealand.
The 37 seater aircraft is only 3 years old and will have 40 minutes of flying time to Vava'u and 25 minutes to Ha'apai.

The company also plans on flying twice to Vava'u and once to Ha'apai on a weekly basis.

Fly Niu Airlines, is a local company whose majority are Tongans and include former Royal Tongan Airline employees. With 'Atu Finau, former Chief Engineer officer for the RTA as CEO, Captain Sam Folaumoetu'i as the Manager of Flight Operation, Venisi Taufa as Manager of Sales Market, Lasale Cocker, the Quality Assurance Officer and Captain Michael Fa'asolo as Manager of Training.