The Peau Vava'u Airways will start flying a 10-seater Islander aircraft to the Niuas and to 'Eua this week, said Mosikaka Moengangongo, project manager.

At a press conference on August 20 she said that they were hopeful for the aircraft to arrive in Tonga within a week.

The Islander will join Peau Vava'u Airways fleet of two DC3s and Mosi was confident that they would be able to have a firm grip on their share of the market, which she claimed to be 50 per cent.

It is expected that the Islander will make its inaugural flight to the Niuas by taking HM Queen Halaevalu Mata'aho to Niuafo'ou for the official opening of the Royal Agricultural Fisheries and Industrial Show 2004 on August 25.

Meanwhile, their competitor, FlyNiu Airlines, the other domestic air operator, using a modern Dash8 aircraft claimed that they have a 75 per cent lion's share of the route between Tongatapu, Vava'u and Ha'apai.

The competition between Peau Vava'u and FlyNiu took a sudden turn on August 3 when the Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Mapa Faletau, launched the government's one-airline domestic air service policy, and called for the two operators to re-apply for their licences so that government could decide who should have the exclusive right to be the sole operator of the domestic air service.

The CEO of FlyNiu, 'Atu Finau said that they decided not to re-apply and instead challenged the decision in court, on a number of grounds, including the fact that their current licence current until September 15.

However, Peau Vava'u re-applied and they were quickly given the exclusive right to be the sole operator of the domestic air service.

On August 16 the Supreme court granted an injunction for FlyNiu and their licence was reinstated allowing them to fly until their licence expires on September 15.

Lawyers for FlyNiu and the Ministry of Civil Aviation are preparing for a hearing in the Supreme Court.

see also: FlyNiu in the air after judge reinstates licence [2]