Solomon Airlines ramping up domestic operations with the return of the Dash-8 ....

Solomon Airlines will ramp up domestic operations across Solomon Islands from October following the return of the airline’s Dash-8 aircraft next month.

The 36-seat Dash-8, Solomon Airlines’ largest domestic aircraft, has been offshore for an annual scheduled heavy maintenance check.

Following crew refresher training, and reinduction requirements, the aircraft will re-join the fleet from Monday 3 October to operate between Honiara and Munda, Gizo, Auki, and Kirakira, with additional destinations to be considered.  

“The re-introduction of the Dash-8 will allow us to increase capacity significantly to Munda and Gizo, and to improve the efficiency of our operation,” said Solomon Airlines CEO Mr Gus Kraus.

“Under our new schedule from October, we have ensured that connectivity between our international and domestic flights is as seamless as it can be, especially for key tourism destinations Seghe, Munda, Gizo, Suavanao, and Marau,” Mr Kraus added.

“This will also improve access for inbound tourists travelling via our Brisbane and Nadi hubs,” he said.

“As we rebuild our operations, we will continue to monitor demand and assess our fleet to ensure that we manage costs and meet future demand as is appropriate,” he said.  

The reintroduction of the Dash-8 aircraft has allowed Solomon Airlines to build an expanded domestic schedule, so existing passengers can expect some variations to upcoming flights, including:

Solomon Islands reopens borders.....

Solomon Airlines has welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare confirming the full reopening of Solomon Islands' international borders, commencing on 1 July 2022.

The airline said the opening of borders and easing of travel restrictions including the ending of domestic travel restrictions over the weekend, are positive steps that will allow Solomon Airlines to rebuild its domestic schedule and plan for further international operations.

“It will enable us to reconfigure our schedule to serve local demand and prepare for more international visitors,” said Solomon Airlines CEO Brett Gebers.

“To start we have adjusted our domestic schedule effective from 6 June to prepare for inbound connections on Friday from our Brisbane to Honiara service and to ensure the ability to add capacity to domestic routes such as Munda, Gizo, Auki, and Santa Cruz, where we are already seeing increasing booking demand.

“While the ongoing mandatory quarantine period for international arrivals remains a deterrent to inbound tourism, we understand that these restrictions will be progressively relaxed and believe we will still see enough early international travellers coming to Solomon Islands to sustain our twice-weekly Brisbane-Honiara services until all restrictions are removed in the next few months,” he said.

“We will also look to re-establish our weekly Tuesday flight between Honiara and Nadi,” Mr. Gebers said.

“Regular commercial travel to Vanuatu and Kiribati is not yet possible due to the border restrictions of those countries, however, we look forward to resuming flights between Honiara, Port Vila, and Tarawa in due course.

“This announcement is certainly a positive development as the gradual recovery of Solomon Islands’ tourism industry and the contribution that growth in international tourism and development can make to the economy is entirely dependent upon the reopening of our borders,” he said.

“If ultimately we want a tourism industry again, we must be determined as a nation to reach a 90% vaccination rate, do away with quarantine requirements and welcome back vaccinated tourists freely,” he added.

Solomon Airlines will continue to maintain COVID-19 protocols onboard all international flights including the requirement for face masks to be worn at all times and support the testing requirements outlined by the Solomon Islands Government for all international arrivals.

Solomon Islands domestic travel restrictions have been removed over the weekend. As an initial step the carrier has adjusted its domestic schedule effective from 6 June 2022 to both prepare for inbound connections on Friday from our Brisbane to Honiara service, and to ensure the ability to add additional flights as passenger demand increases.

Gebers said: “While the ongoing mandatory quarantine period for international arrivals remains a deterrent to inbound tourism, we understand that these restrictions will be progressively relaxed and believe we will still see enough early international travellers coming to Solomon Islands to sustain our twice-weekly Brisbane-Honiara services until all restrictions are removed in the next few months,”

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No China deal for Solomon Airlines as carrier axes Manaoba air services due to landowners' dispute

Solomon Airlines has confirmed the end of all flights to and from Manaoba indefinitely because of what it calls the risks associated with a local landowners dispute.

“While we sincerely regret the inconvenience to our passengers, the matter is simple. Landowners have advised us to suspend services until an ongoing local landowners disagreement can be settled,” said CEO of Solomon Airlines Mr Brett Gebers.  “While we appreciate that there may be local issues yet to be resolved and which are outside of our control, we have an obligation to all who rely upon our scheduled flights across the Solomon Islands,”

Gebers went on to say: “Airlines cannot easily start and restart flights and airstrip operations on a whim. Behind the scenes, managing flight operations to regional areas is a significant activity which requires scheduling aircraft and equipment, fuel supplies, rostering of crew, management of passenger and cargo booking processes,”

The carrier is set to operate a special flight to Brisbane, Australia from Tarawa on May 23rd.

According to ch-aviation.com plans by Chinese authorities to support the rebuilding and refurbishment of a number of airstrips in the Solomon Islands has come to a halt.  The deal would have seen the island’s government purchase six new planes from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). Included in the plan was to develop Honiara – Solomon Island’s capital into a major regional hub, with daily direct flights to China, according to a leaked memorandum of understanding agreed in 2019 signed by Solomon Islands Minister for Communication and Aviation Peter Shanel Agovaka whilst on a special trip to central China.

 

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