Government launches new domestic air service [1]
Thursday, September 24, 2020 - 19:32. Updated on Monday, September 20, 2021 - 18:22.
By Pesi Fonua.
The Tonga government celebrated the launch of the Lulutai Airlines Ltd. yesterday, with the handover of an Air Operator Certificate at the Fua’amotu International Airport yesterday, 23 September 2020. Domestic air services were scheduled to start today.
The Air Operator Certificate AOC for the Lulutai Airlines Ltd was presented to the Prime Minister, Hon. Rev Dr Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa by the Minister of Infrastructure 'Akosita lavulavu, who is also responsible for Civil Aviation, and she is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Lulutai Airlines Ltd.
Tonga has been without a domestic air service since May, after the sole domestic operator, the Real Tonga Airline's SAAB340 aircraft was struck by a bird on its wing after it took off from the Lupepau’u Airport, Vava’u.
The Prime Minister, Hon. Rev Dr Pohiva Tu'oi'onetoa announced that the Lulutai would start its domestic service today, to Vava’u, Ha’apai and the Niuas.
Lease cancelled
The Prime Minister said that the government has been working for 96 days, since 19 June 2020 to restore the domestic air service.
The owner of the Real Tonga Airlines, Tevita Palu told the Matangi Tonga toward the end of August that he had borrowed $USD600,000 from a bank to fix the SAAB340.
Unfortunately the Australian company that owned the SAAB340 had cancelled his lease and was now leasing the aircraft to the new Lulutai Airlines Ltd. All the staff of the Real Tonga Airlines, “from top to bottom”, according to Tevita have moved over to the Lulutai Airlines Ltd., together with the two aircrafts the SAAB340 and the Y12 that he had leased fromt he government. The Y12 was a gift to Tonga from the People’s Republic of China.
Government owned
Yesterday, in his keynote address at the airport, the Prime Minister stressed that was the vision of King Tupou VI for Tonga to have a safe air transport service and for the new national airline to be called the Lulutai Airline Ltd.
The Lulutai Airline Ltd, is the second domestic airlines to be owned by government and the 12th national airlines to have been operating in Tonga since 1937.
Hon. Dr Tu'i'onetoa stressed that there was a domestic national airlines before, but it was different in its structure and its vision wasnot the same as this new Lulutai: “less expenses, better service, secure and safety for all.”
A Lulutai is a Tongan figurative expression for a Sea Eagle that goes out and catches fish for weaker birds that can’t catch fish.
The Tongan saying is – Kai ‘a e manu vaivai mei he Fangota ‘a e Lulutai. Weak birds feed from the catches of the Lulutai.
The Prime Minister reminded the gathering that his government, less than a year old, is a government for all, “the King, the Nobles and the People.”
The Minister of Infrastructure, who is also responsible for Civil Aviation, Hon. ‘Akosita Lavulavu presented the Air Operator Certificate AOC for the Lulutai Airlines Ltd. to the Prime Minister.