Fiji Airways Granted Permission To Service Tonga ^Featured

It is given under the terms of an agreement between the Fijian and Tongan governments based on the Air Services Agreement.

A memorandum of understanding opening up the Tongan market to the national airline was signed between the Attorney-General and Minister for Civil Aviation, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, and the visiting Tongan Minister for Civil Aviation, Etuate Sungalu Lavulavu, in Suva on Tuesday night.

The A-G said the agreement was an important breakthrough for the national airline that would benefit both Fiji and Tonga.

"The Tongan government has asked Fiji Airways not only to fly domestic routes but also examine the feasibility of operating services between Tonga and Samoa, Niue and the Cook Islands.

"Fiji Airways has agreed to assess the Tongan request and will make a commercial decision in the near future," the A-G said.

He said: "This is a MOU-based on the Air Services Agreement. This actually allows Fiji Airways/ Fiji Links to be able to carry out flights within Tonga itself, in particular from Tongatapu to Vava’u."

"I would like to thank the Tongan government on their forward looking aspect to this," he said.

"We both can be able to mutually assist each other and benefit from the services that will be provided and of course the opportunity to provide those services in Tonga."

Tongan Minister for Civil Aviation Etuate Lavulavu said it was obvious that they needed help from Fiji in regards to their domestic service.

"It is not reliable at the moment in Tonga, so we are looking to Fiji Airways for help," he said.

"On behalf of the Tongan government, I would like to thank the Fijian Government for this opportunity and looking forward to years to come."

Fiji Airways has already been operating a flight within Tonga between the capital, Nukualofa, and the island of Vava’u but on a charter basis to the Tongan airline, Real Tonga.

The new agreement allows for this flight to be now designated as a Fiji Airways service with a Fiji Airways flight number.

It also opens up the possibility of the Fijian national airline operating services to other Tongan destinations and beyond.

Source: Pacific Island Report, Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i