15 Sep 2011

Air Kiribati prepares for the worst following suspended flights between Tarawa and Nadi

11:22 am on 15 September 2011

A spokesperson for Air Kiribati says the airline is not confident that the sudden suspension of its flights between Fiji and Kiribati will be lifted any time soon.

Last week, the Fiji government cancelled Air Kiribati flights between Nadi and Tarawa without explanation, incurring the airline a loss of almost 100,000 US dollars so far.

"A spokesperson for Air Kiribati, Itibwebwe Kabiriera, is yet to hear the outcome of yesterday's (Wednesday) meeting between officials of the two countries in Suva."

Hopefully the outcome of the meeting could lift the licence again and then we could fly back to Fiji but I don't know. I have a feeling that the outcome might not be in our favour.

The Director of Fiji's Civil Aviation Department had no comment to make about the suspension referring all queries to Fiji's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

No one in Foreign Affairs nor the Ministry of Information was available for comment.