Pacific

Air Kiribati flight suspension no closer to being lifted

17:55 pm on 20 September 2011

Fiji and Kiribati have yet to resolve a two-week dispute that resulted in the sudden suspension of Air Kiribati's only international link.

The Fiji interim government cancelled all Air Kiribati flights between Nadi and Tarawa without explanation.

Dawn Tratt reports.

"The Vice President of the Air Kiribati Board, Inatoa Tebania, says delegates from Kiribati and Fiji met this week to discuss Fiji's three major concerns with the airline. These include operational concerns - like ticket reservations, insurance cover and the airline's Air Operator Certificate. Mr Tebania says Air Kiribati is no closer to finding out if and when the flights will resume, as the two sides are still deliberating. He says minutes are in the process of being drafted on the most recent meeting between Fiji and Kiribati, with more meetings to follow."