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The leader of the parliamentary opposition in Vanuatu, Ishmael Kalsakau, has accused the government of rushing the order for A220s for Air Vanuatu (NF, Port Vila) despite questions related to the safety of the type's engines, the country's only daily newspaper The Daily Post has reported.

"The Government has hastily bulldozed its finances without Parliament endorsement and now, Air Vanuatu has gone ahead and signed the deal on the Airbus A220. The Opposition Office is not condemning the government and Vanuatu Tourism Office partnership with Air Vanuatu to invest and promote the tourism industry but the public of Vanuatu must be updated on the economic viability of these Airbuses," Kalsakau said.

He further referred to the recent emergency landing of an A220-300 operated by Swiss (LX, Zurich), which experienced a mid-flight engine shutdown. The incident prompted a brief grounding of the entire fleet of A220s operated by the Swiss airline and an airworthiness directive issued by the Transport Canada limiting high-power climb operations.

Ni-Vanuatu flag carrier defended its choice of A220s and...