SOLOMON Islands’ national carrier will introduce flights to Papua New Guinea, allowing connections to China.
Weekly flights to Port Vila, Vanuatu, will resume on March 30 with connections to Auckland – ostensibly due to increased demand from island workers employed on New Zealand farms and in care facilities.
The following day, Solomon Airlines will launch its Honiara-Port Moresby weekly service designed to cater to Chinese investors and potential tourists. The Port Moresby connection will also allow flights to other Asian destinations.
A new twice-weekly connection between Christchurch and Port Vila will begin on July 1, and the airline will add extra flights on its Brisbane-Santo and Auckland-Port Vila services.
Chief Executive Officer, Paul Abbot, said they were closely monitoring demand across the region.
Meanwhile, New Zealand has scrapped plans to build an airport on the remote territory of Tokelau, which is accessible fortnightly by boat from Samoa.