Air Pacific this week will cut back its service to Tonga to twice instead of three times a week, terminating its Saturday service, and flying to Tonga only on Tuesday and Thursday, following a clash with Tonga's civil aviation authorities.

The reduction in Air Pacific service to Tonga, followed a suspension of its permit by the Tonga Civil Aviation last Monday March 14, because, according to the Secretary for Civil Aviation, Mapa Faletau, of an infringement of the airline's operating approval permit.

Air Pacific had apparently used a larger plane, which gave it the potential to carry more passengers than it was allowed to carry into Tonga on a weekly basis.

Mapa said that Tonga...’s agreement with Air Pacific was for Air Pacific to operate a service to Tonga three times a week, using a Boeing 737 700 with a weekly capacity of 350 seats. Apparently between March 7 and 12, Air Pacific on one of its three weekly flights used a 737 800 with 154 seats and therefore increased its weekly capacity from 350 to 390, and that was why their operation was suspended on March 14.

Mapa said that following negotiation with Air Pacific executives the suspension order was lifted on the following day, March 15.

Passengers were disrupted when Air Pacific cancelled its regular service between Tonga and Fiji for March 15, then it resumed its regular service for Thursday and Saturday.

However, this week Air Pacific announced it would cancel altogether its Saturday service and will fly to Tonga only twice a week.

Air services between Tonga and Fiji have been on the decline since Fiji Air cancelled its operation to Tonga about a year ago. Fiji Air used to fly three times a week between Tonga and Suva, while Air Pacific flew twice a week between Nadi and Tonga.

The Air Pacific service to Fiji at the moment flies Tonga, Nausori then Nadi.