SOLOMON Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale says the national airline can no longer rely on government support without showing a serious plan for change.
After meeting with the airline’s board and management on Friday alongside Finance Minister Gordon Darcy Lilo, Wale said the company had drifted without direction for too long.
It was a clear rebuke of Solomon Airlines and Wale called for it to adopt a more ambitious, strategic approach.
“We want Solomon Airlines to succeed, but we must act decisively,” he said.
“You need to think big and stop undermining the industry.”
The Prime Minister said the airline’s problems were no longer hidden in the balance sheet alone.
They are visible to passengers and businesses every day: too few aircraft on domestic routes, unreliable flight schedules, high fares, expensive freight, and service that falls short of public expectations.
“Domestic airfares are too high, freight costs are high, and flight schedules are inconsistent. These are issues that must be addressed,” Wale said.
“The airline cannot expect open-ended government funding unless it can show measurable progress.”
The call landed as both a warning and a challenge, demanding a future that goes beyond survival.
Finance Minister Lilo pressed the same point, saying the airline needs a clear route out of its current difficulties and partners with the financial muscle to help strengthen its position.
“So where do we begin?” he asked, catching the scale of the challenge now facing the carrier.
Lilo said Solomon Airlines has been operating at a loss, especially on domestic routes, while international services also remain under pressure.
He urged the board and management to stop thinking in the narrow terms of crisis management and start building a sustainable business model.
“We need partners with deep financial capacity. I agree with the Prime Minister that you must think big and be strategic,” he said.
Acting Board Chairman Baoro Laxton Koraua acknowledged the concerns and admitted the airline had been weighed down by long-running internal and external problems.
He agreed that restructuring was unavoidable and said the company must define a clearer vision that aligns with the national interest.
The Prime Minister and Finance Minister directed the board and management to return with a real plan or keep facing the same questions.
