US’s Asia Pacific Airlines opposes Nauru’s Guam flight bid
02.06.2023 – 01:12 UTC
Asia Pacific Airlines (Guam) (P9, Guam International) has attacked a US Department of Transportation (DOT) application by Nauru Airlines (ON, Nauru) for an exemption and foreign air carrier permit to operate scheduled and charter flights of persons, property and mail, to US territories in the Central and Western Pacific region. In objecting to the application, Asia Pacific Airlines accuses Nauru Airlines of violating United States Postal Service (USPS) and DOT statutes as well as lacking the “credibility and capacity” to provide the proposed service.
As previously reported by ch-aviation, Nauru Airlines filed its application earlier this month, seeking approval to carry persons, property and mail between Nauru and the United States’ outpost of Guam. The airline flagged twice weekly roundtrip cargo flights between Nauru and Guam and one weekly passenger roundtrip. The application came after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded Asia Pacific Airlines over a pilot training issue, leaving several Central and Western Pacific nations and territories without essential freight flights.
“Nauru has operated several charters to move the…
Solomon Airlines in talks for second A320
16.05.2023 – 03:20 UTC
Solomons – Solomon Airlines (IE, Honiara) is looking to secure a second A320-200 to capitalise on demand for travel to Honiara for the 17th Pacific Games later this year. Solomon Airlines CEO Gus Kraus told the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Commission that a letter of intent (LOI) had been signed with the lessor and lease negotiations were expected to commence shortly.
If the lease proceeds, it will provide the state-owned carrier with its second jet aircraft and offer some much needed capacity when the other aircraft goes out of service. Kraus did not provide specific information on the incoming aircraft, other than saying it was former Jetstar Airways (JQ, Melbourne Tullamarine) Airbus stock, and that he hoped to have it by July or August.
“The purchase will see us having a new modern airplane that is under 10 years old,” he said. “That’s the newest airplane we’ve got.” Solomon Airlines currently operates a fleet of five aircraft, including one 18.04 year-old A320-200, one 31.79 year-old DHC-8-100, and three DHC-6-300s variously aged…
Solomon Airlines grounds sole jet over contaminated fuel
01.05.2023 – 21:36 UTC
Solomons – Solomon Airlines (IE, Honiara) has grounded its sole jet after a fuel contamination issue. The airline made the announcement on May 1, 2023, saying they did not yet know when A320-200 H4-SIB (msn 2445) return to service.
“We are liaising with Airbus to assist with resolving the issue,” said a statement from the airline. “Our team are striving to resolve the issue, whilst sourcing replacement aircraft to cover the affected services utilising operators approved and in compliance with our AOC and CAASI (Civil Aviation Authority of the Solomon Islands).”
ADS-B data indicates the aircraft has not flown since April 26 when it operated a sector between Honiara and Brisbane International. The airline’s A320 services on April 29 and 30 were operated by Nauru Airlines (ON, Nauru) using B737-300 VH-XNU (msn 25609), while sistership VH-PNI (msn 28555) ran services on May 1. Solomon Airlines is warning its A320-200 may be out of the air for the remainder of the week.
This is the second grounding of…
