Questions raised over future of Tonga's domestic airline service [1]
Thursday, November 25, 2021 - 17:31. Updated on Thursday, November 25, 2021 - 17:49.
By Pesi Fonua
Reports that the Interim Prime Minister, Hon. Rev Dr Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa early this month initiated a move to sell the government-owned Lulutai Airline Ltd. to an airline called FlyNiu, has stirred concern over the future of the domestic air service.
Information that we received from a reliable source is that the Interim Minister of Finance, Tevita Lavemaau, had been talking recently about the government trying to sell the Lulutai Airline Ltd.
In 2004, Flyniu Airline Ltd. and Peau Vava’u Ltd were offering domestic air services in Tonga, until the government introduced its one airline policy, which resulted in the termination of the licence for FlyNiu. (It meant that Peau Vava'u, an airline owned by Crown Prince Tupouto’a, won a monopoly in the domestic air service at the time. )
The owner of the FlyNiu Airline, ‘Atu Finau, who left Tonga, is now the Chief Executive Officer of a Vanuatu domestic airline. He reportedly visited Tonga recently and there is speculation that he may either revive the FlyNiu Airline, or extend the operation of the Vanuatu domestic airline to Tonga.
Unfortunately, no-one in Tonga's interim government, has announced the sale or commented on the widely circulating reports of the sale of the Lulutai Airline Ltd.
The Lulutai Airlines started its services in September 2020. The CEO is Edgar Cocker, the Prime Minister’s Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet. The Chairman of the Board of Directors is Hon. Tu'i'onetoa, and the other directors are the former Minister of Finance, Hon. Tevita Lavemaau, Hon. Siaosi Sovaleni, Hon. Poasi Tei, and the former Minister of Infrastructure, ‘Akosita Lavulavu (who is currently serving a prison sentence).
Lulutai started its domestic service to Vava’u, Ha’apai and the Niuas, in 2020 after the previous domestic service by Real Tonga Airlines had lapsed for over 90 days. It is the second domestic airline to be owned by government and the 12th national airline to have been operating in Tonga since 1937.
See also: Govt launches new domestic air service [2]