Starting today, April 14, the DC3 of the Peau Vava‘u Airways the sole operator of the domestic air service, ceased serving the outer islands of Tonga.

The Project Manager of the Peau Vava'u, Mosikaka Moengangongo, said that the two DC3s of the Peau Vava‘u Airways ran out of fuel, and a shipment of fuel is expected to arrive sometime next week.

Mosi said that meanwhile the Peau Vava'u was negotiating with the Polynesian Airlines to charter a small aircraft to continue with the service that was provided by the Peau Vava'u DC3.

Despite the stoppage, a weekly Polynesian Airlines service using a Dash 8 between Samoa, Vava‘u and Tongatapu and return, will continue every Friday.

Viliami Ma'ake, the Director of Civil Aviation, said that they had received a notice from Peau Vava‘u that their service was grounded due to shortage of fuel, but he wanted the airways to remember that they are obligated to cater for the domestic air service under their Economic Approval Policy, which they signed when they were given the monopoly to operate the domestic service.