Air Vanuatu (NF, Port Vila) is wet-leasing aircraft from Fiji Airways, Nauru Airlines, and Solomons - Solomon Airlines in a self-styled regional partnership designed to plug capacity shortfalls in the tiny South Pacific nation. The aircraft from the neighbouring countries are being used to meet the unexpectedly high demand for domestic and international services that Air Vanuatu is struggling to meet on its own.
Fiji Airways aircraft have been providing domestic capacity for Air Vanuatu on weekends in the first half of November while Solomon Airlines and Nauru Airlines aircraft are helping operate Air Vanuatu's four times weekly Port Vila - Brisbane International sector until December. Air Vanuatu says it is outsourcing in an attempt to stabilise its international operations and adds that the deal is beneficial for all the airlines involved.
"Given that each of the regional airlines is facing its own challenges and there is very limited extra aircraft available for lease, getting additional flights and crew is not easy," says a statement from the airline. "The new approach sees all three airlines working together in a new partnership at the request of Air Vanuatu management."
Air Vanuatu has a single jet, a B737-800, YJ-AV8 (msn 42052), which ADS-S data shows runs roundtrip flights every day to Auckland International and the airline's three Australian destinations - Melbourne Tullamarine, Sydney Kingsford Smith, and Brisbane. However, as Air Vanuatu notes, stronger than anticipated demand has seen frequencies increase, particularly on the Auckland - Port Vila sector where flights have increased from 2x weekly in July to 4x weekly.
"When a small airline like Air Vanuatu puts on extra flights like this, it means the flight hours for the crew and the aircraft increase and reaches the mandated limits quicker. To meet the increasing demand the new partnership approach with all three airlines has been created."
Solomon Airlines had recently confirmed to ch-aviation that it was booked to operate a weekly A320-200 roundtrip between Port Vila and Brisbane through to December using its sole jet - H4-SIB (msn 2445). Flight tracking data indicates Nauru Airlines has been operating its B737-700, VH-INU (msn 34538), on certain days over October and November for Air Vanuatu on the same route.
