The 50 passengers to board the first repatriation flight from Auckland to Tonga will probably be selected next week, confirmed MEIDECC CEO, Paula Ma’u today, 17 June. “If that goes well, it depends on health and their analysis on whether we will increase the number and even the flights.” Otherwise at that rate, with about 7,000 Tongans overseas who want to return to Tonga, it might take years to repatriate everyone and quarantine will be costly. By Eleanor Gee.
You are here
Results for Travel
Wednesday 17 June 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tuesday 16 June 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s Ministry of Tourism has confirmed today that government is planning for the first repatriation flight of 50 Tongans “after next week as a start” and that the first passengers will arrive “in three weeks from last Friday, if everything is going as planned”.
Friday 12 June 2020
1 comment
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An opportunity for at least 50 Tongans to return home amid the struggle to keep Tonga free from the novel coronavirus, was announced by the Prime Minister, Hon. Dr Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa, this afternoon 12 June.
Tuesday 2 June 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Statistics show a major decrease in international visitors to Tonga between January to March, in comparison to 2019, as CoViD-19 started to spread worldwide and in the months before Tonga closed its border.
Premium content
Monday 25 May 2020
Premium content
Auckland, New Zealand
Air New Zealand services to Tonga and other Pacific countries such as Fiji, Samoa, Rarotonga, New Caledonia and French Polynesia, could resume to one return service from Auckland per week, if the travel restrictions currently in place around passenger services are lifted, the airline announced today.
Premium content
Tuesday 12 May 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
While Tonga’s only airline, Real Tonga, struggles with the impact of ongoing CoVid-19 restrictions, the private sector company faces another tough challenge, a lack of government support and government's attempts to set up a new airline. Meanwhile, Real Tonga is not flying after the SAAB 340 serving the domestic route, suffered engine problems in a bird strike in Vava’u last week. By Eleanor Gee.
Premium content
Tuesday 21 April 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An Air New Zealand flight bringing medical equipment from Auckland to Tonga on Thursday, 23 April has been approved to leave the Kingdom with passengers confirmed Minister for MEIDECC Hon Poasi Tei today.
Premium content
Tuesday 21 April 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Australian citizens and permanent residents who wish to leave Tonga are being advised by the Australian High Commission (AHC) to register with their office.
Premium content
Monday 20 April 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
International flights to Tonga have been barred up to 12 June according to a diversion order issued by the Ministry of Health CEO Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola. The order is to prevent the introduction, or spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to Tonga.
Premium content
Wednesday 15 April 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
An Air New Zealand flight arrived at Fua'amotu International Airport today with medical supplies from New Zealand. The return flight to Auckland has evacuated passengers from Tonga who will undergo health screening and managed isolation in New Zealand.
Premium content
Tuesday 14 April 2020
Premium content
Auckland, New Zealand
Samoa, Tonga and Fiji are currently not permitting international flights, but if these restrictions end, Air New Zealand is likely to operate one return service per week from Auckland, the airline stated today.
Premium content
Monday 13 April 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tongatapu's best beaches along the Sunset Coast, remain deeply embedded with the shrapnel-like remains of resort buildings ravaged by the “unbelievable power” of Severe Tropical Cyclone Harold's storm surge on Thursday.
Tuesday 31 March 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A special chartered flight arrived at Fua’amotu International Airport this afternoon, to pick up a group from the National Geographic network.
Premium content
Friday 27 March 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Seventy-six passengers who were on the last Virgin Australia flight from Sydney to Tongatapu on 18 March, had to overnight in Fiji, when the plane could not land because the landing lights were out at Fua’amotu International Airport. They were required to self-quarantine in Tonga until April 2 under the new travel advisory. Dr Siale 'Akau'ola said today “it is better to overprescribe the quarantine requirements than be sorry later.”
Premium content
Thursday 26 March 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's Heilala Festival 2020 has been postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Premium content
Wednesday 25 March 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two British medical students have found themselves stuck in Tonga and unable to return home after Tonga closed its borders earlier this week to prevent COVID-19 from entering the country.
Monday 23 March 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
UPDATED: Tonga has ordered a diversion of international flights to Tonga for two weeks, from 23 March, including the Air New Zealand, Fiji Airways and Talofa Airlines flights scheduled for today. The order was made by Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola, CEO and posted this morning “to prevent the introduction, or spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)” under Tonga's current Declaration of Public Health Emergency.
Saturday 21 March 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A new two-storey office building for Tonga’s Ministry of Tourism, named ‘Api ko Lata‘anga, was officially opened by HRH Princess Pilolevu Tuita on 19 March 2020 behind the Tonga Tourism centre on Hala Vuna, Nuku'alofa.
Premium content
Wednesday 18 March 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Virgin Australia airline has temporarily suspended all international services and further cuts to their domestic network until 14 June 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Air New Zealand also announced cutting back on flights to the Pacific including Tonga between April and June.
Premium content
Tuesday 3 March 2020
Premium content
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Four cruise ships have been told to stay away from Tonga this month under a diversion order issued today by the Ministry of Health.
Premium contentPages
Tonga weather forecast from yr.no, delivered by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and the NRK. See also Fua'amotu Weather Forecasting Center, Tonga, for latest local weather bulletin.