The head of Air Tahiti Nui says the carrier's inability to have a charter service to China this month is not due to documentation problems.
Air Tahiti Nui Boeing 787 Photo: Copyright(2018)The Boeing Company
Michel Monvoison has told Radio 1 in Tahiti that China claimed that there was a slot constraint, adding that in his view China was discouraging charter services.
Air Tahiti Nui cancelled a planned Lunar New Year service amid claims that the airline failed to produce the required documentation.
Mr Monvoisin says this was not so but rather the result of fast growing air traffic stretching China's systems.
He says applications now need to be filed within 30 days of the flight, which he says is too tight a timeline for any airline to consider.
Aircalin also scrapped a planned charter flight from China.
These cancellations come amid heightened concern that the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan could be difficult to contain.