Air Peau Vava'u expects to resume domestic flights next week [1]
Tuesday, May 8, 2007 - 18:05. Updated on Monday, July 20, 2015 - 16:36.
The PEAU Vava'u Airways may resume its domestic service next week, according to the airline's CEO Fakatele Faletau.
Peau Vava'u ceased to operate its commercial flights to the outer islands of Vava'u and Ha'apai after the November riot, when its main office was gutted.
The Peau Vava'u aircraft was scheduled to start flying on Monday, May 14, but today, Fakatele confirmed that their service had been delayed awaiting the arrival of inspectors from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority.
The Peau will be allowed to fly once it is issued with an Air Operator's Certificate by the inspectors.
Fakatele said that the inspectors will arrive in Tonga on May 15 to carry out the inspection and certification and "we are hoping to get our certificate a few days after."
The Peau's flying schedule will be two flights a day to Vava'u and a daily flight to Ha'apai using their Jet Stream 41 aircraft. The Jet Stream has been in Tonga since February.
The Peau has two aircraft. Their seven-seater Queen aircraft Fakatele said will be used to provide extra service for Ha'apai, "but for the meantime we will stick to these routes approved by the regulators but will continue studying other routes to the smaller outer islands."
Fakatele said all test flights were completed last week, but they would not start their commercial flights until they are issued with an Air Operator's Certificate.