Tonga’s MA60 aircraft made three inaugural commercial flights to Vava‘u on Saturday, August 10, and the aircraft gifted from China is scheduled to fly twice-daily to Vava'u.

Real Tonga the sole domestic air carrier in Tonga leases the 52-seater aircraft from the owner, the Government of Tonga.

Tevita Palu the airline's General Manager said this morning that the flights on Saturday were scheduled to start the MA60's service. 

“We had a plane full of passengers of up to 48 and all of the flights went smoothly,” he said.

Today the MA60 has two flights to Vava'u. The first flight left early this morning and the second was to leave Fua’amotu Domestic Airport at 1:00pm.

“The aircraft starts operation because we have completed its certification according to the Rules and Regulation of the International Civil Aviation Organization, of which Tonga is a member, as well as its insurance,” he said.

The MA60 is being flown by two pilots, a Tongan and Chinese, and  would  service only Vava’u for the time being, Tevita said.