Air Rarotonga says it will be providing eight return flights between the Northern Cook Islands and Samoa this Christmas.
The carrier plans to link Penrhyn, Manihiki and Pukapuka to Apia and thereby offering more efficient access to and from New Zealand and Australia.
Four flights will be provided in the first week of December and another four in the first week of January 2010.
Air Rarotonga's Managing Director Ewan Smith says up to 50 people are wanting to travel in either direction.
"We've planned a series of flights this Christmas because there are several large groups that are wanting to move in and out of the Northern Group. And then after that we expect we might mount those sorts of flights on a more regular basis. It's just a matter of establishing really what the demand for them is."
Ewan Smith says the airline is in the process of applying for approval from the Cook Island and Samoan Governments for the proposed flight schedule.
