A Chathams Pacific DC3 flight to Niuatoputapu this morning marks the restoration of an air service to the isolated far north of Tonga.

Flights to the small island have been suspended for several years, while work was being done on the airstrip.

A spokesperson for the airline said that this morning's flight with pilot Keith Mitchell, will carry supplies and passengers.

In the past the government subsidized regular flights to the Niuas, but it is understood that there are no longer any subsidies for the service.

Three villages on Niuatoputapu, including the main centre Hihifo, were devastated by a tsunami on September 2009 when over half of the households on the island were destroyed and 46 percent of the island was inundated by the sea. Redevelopment on the island has been extremely difficult over the last two years with the lack of transport options.

Chathams Pacific is Tonga's only domestic airline. It acquired the 25-seater DC3 which was brought to Tonga by Air Vava'u that ceased operation in 2006. The vintage aircraft was totally restored and re-entered scheduled services in September 2010. Due to the aricraft's lower flight altitude, the DC3 is well suited to scenic flighting and generally serves the Ha'apai route.

Tonga is the only Pacific island country, besides New Zealand and Australia to use a DC3 aircraft for its domestic air services. The DC3 can carry three tonnes of cargo.