New Airbus A320 at Nadi International Airport heralds new era for Solomon Airlines.

MERE NALEBA

9/11/2011

Solomon Airlines yesterday proudly flew its new Airbus A320 into Nadi International Airport on a proving flight. It came with prospects the airline could soon begin flights linking the four Melanesian Spearhead Group nations using the Airbus.

The plane spent two and a half hours at Nadi during the Honiara-Nadi-Port Vila (Vanuatu)-Honiara flight. The previous day it had operated a similar flight Honiara-Port Moresby-Honiara.

Guests on the Nadi flight – including three Solomon Islands Government ministers and former prime minister Dr Derek Sikua – attended a reception while at Nadi. This was organised by Solomon Airlines Fiji manager Raj Prasad at the Trans International Hotel.

Solomon Airlines chief executive officer Captain Ron Sumsum was also aboard the flight in a dual role, CEO and as one of a team of pilots. He welcomed Fiji guests at the reception.

Captain Sumsum is a highly experienced jet airliner pilot. Others in the flight crew on yesterday’s flight included former Air Pacific and Air Vanuatu jet captains.

Tomorrow Solomon Airlines begins four return services a week Honiara-Brisbane-Honiara using its own aircraft instead of the chartered aircraft it used in recent years.

It follows certification from Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority after an intensive approval process to allow it to operate the Airbus into Australian airports.

Solomon Airlines is now looking at flights from Honiara to Nadi, Port Vila and Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) as well. Talks are expected to be held with Air Pacific, with which it currently has a code-share partnership, with seats on Air Pacific’s Nadi-Port Vila-Honiara flight.

Solomon Airlines General Manager Operations and Commercial Services Gus Kraus said: “It is a very exciting time for us. We have been waiting for so long to have ownership over an Airbus, and we are confident that this will be a success for us”

Mr Kraus said Solomon Airlines was willing to work with Air Pacific in helping develop air services in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

He recalled close co-operation between the airlines in the past.

He also recalled how in the past Solomon Airlines had operated its own plane on a flight linking Auckland-Nadi-Honiara-Port Moresby.

Mr Kraus said: “It is fantastic knowing that we have approval to fly to Australia and Papua New Guinea. We are also trying out Fiji, and if all goes as planned then we will be flying to Fiji.

“We’re still studying the market and we hope to develop something in the end - a good friendship between us and Air Pacific. The time is right.”

Mr Kraus said the A320 carries 16 passengers in business class and 120 passengers in economy.

Solomon Airlines is also expanding its domestic fleet. It is planning to bring in its own Dash 8-100 turboprop to replace one it currently charters for its main daily domestic services. It already has its own Twin Otter and Britten Norman Islander planes.

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