Vanuatu 'pushing from every front' for Air NZ's return

The Vanuatu government is disappointed in New Zealand's national carrier Air New Zealand for not stepping up and supporting Air Vanuatu as it has been slapped with another round of issues.

The latest problem; mechanical issues, which has grounded the airline for over a week and caused travel disruptions to hundreds of people.

It is expected to cost the airline more than $VT169 million ($NZ2.3 million), one board member who did not want to be named told our correspondent last week.

"The government is very serious and it is looking at how we will step in to really address the issue," Foreign Minister Jotham Napat told RNZ Pacific.

This is not the first time the airline has failed to provide a service to its customers.

When the new government was sworn in following a snap election in October 2022 a review was launched, Napat said.

Australian aviation experts were in the country in January this year to conduct a rapid assessment of the airline's operations at the request of Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau.

The assessment team was expected to review the company's operations, management, finance, and accountability.

While the findings of the assessment are yet to be released, Napat said it would take a while because "[Air Vanuatu] has gone through so much".

He confirmed that after the review is completed, the government will sit down and identify "what went wrong".

Still grounded

Air Vanuatu has confirmed "parts for the airlines only Boeing 737" have been sourced via partners in Asia.

"As a result, the timeline to re-launch Air Vanuatu's services to and from the key destinations of Australia and New Zealand is now anticipated for this week," the airline said via a statement on Wednesday.

It said those flights would be operated by its Pacific partner airlines on behalf of Air Vanuatu.

RNZ Pacific asked the foreign minister if the Boeing 737 is safe to Jotham Napat said, "that is a very difficult question, I am not a technician. I won't answer that."

Napat said he was happy that Australia's Virgin Airlines has stepped up and is now flying up to five flights per week.

But he said he would like Air New Zealand to do the same.

"We are pushing from every front, in our normal bilateral discussions or diplomatic discussions with New Zealand or any donors or any high commissioners."

"We raise the issue because we see that it is important to the country."

He has requested support from New Zealand on the issue in his last meeting with New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta.

"I specifically request if Air New Zealand could actually fly in because that would really push the tourism economy. Particularly it would save the tourism industry," he said.

However, in a statement to RNZ Pacific, Air NZ said "we have no plans to relaunch services to Vanuatu at this stage."

Napat said he found the statement disappointing.

We have reached out to New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta's office for comment.