Air Kiribati has rejected speculation that a plane it plans to use for regional services is not airworthy.
The new service, which will connect Kiribati, Tuvalu, Fiji, Nauru and the Marshall Islands, has been held-up repeatedly because the airline's 66 seater ATR 72 aircraft has yet to be cleared to fly.
The acting general manager, Sam Tira, says technical difficulties with the French owed plane are behind the delay.
But Mr Tira says the problems have been dealt with and he expects an operational certificate to be granted in the coming days, and the service to begin as soon as that happens.
