Aerial view of Tongatapu. Photo: Expedia
A chartered ATR 72 aircraft will make 12 scheduled flights a week from Tongatapu to Vava'u and return, starting Monday, Lulutai Airlines confirmed.
The ATR 72, registered to Air Chathams, flew from Auckland to Tonga on Saturday.
Jackson Afu of Lulutai Airlines told Matangi Tonga that the aircraft carrying 72 passengers will help to ease the Christmas load.
He said there was heavy demand for pre-Christmas bookings between Tongatapu and the outer island, and the charter will provide another 864 seats each way, per week.
"We are filling the aircraft at the moment," he said.
The government owned Lulutai Airlines will continue the extra flights for the meantime, and he said it was not yet confirmed for how long the extra plane will be available.
-Matangi Tonga