Rarotonga airport Photo: RNZI Walter Zweifel
Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown is still willing to discuss direct flights between Niue and Rarotonga, according to Television Niue.
The proposal for a Rarotonga-Niue direct air link was first made in 2022 by Air Rarotonga after the Cook Island government reopened its borders during the Covid-19 pandemic, the state broadcaster reported.
However, high landing costs between the two countries havr hindered the proposal taking flight.
Brown was in Niue for the Pulefakamotu Celebrations last month on charter flight from Rarotonga and spoke to BCN News.
"I think it's something that's worth considering," he said.
"We flew on a chartered flight with Air Raro and it may be something that New Zealand might want to consider subsidising - a flight between Rarotonga and Niue. But instead of flying by Air New Zealand they could use Air Raro to do the service.
"That's a consideration that we would support and something for Niue to discuss with New Zealand."
Brown said an air link could provide benefits for Niueans, such as not having to rely on Niue's single flight a week to New Zealand.
Instead Niueans could reconnect to New Zealand utilising Rarotonga's daily flights, he said.
-This article first publish by Television Niue.