26 Feb 2015

Partnership between Melanesian airlines takes off

8:22 pm on 26 February 2015

A partnership agreement between the airlines of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu is now in force.

Solomon Airlines

Under the agreement, a new route between Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu, via Solomon Islands, will be introduced. Photo: Supplied

The MOU will see shared promotion and sales of the three Melanesia airlines and a codeshare arrangment on a PNG to Vanuatu route via Solomon Islands.

Solomon Airlines commercial services manager Gus Kraus says the agreement is the realisation of several years of negotiations and will provide an alternative route into Asia for Melanesian travellers.

"The idea as a first step I think is good and I think PNG are planning for a campaign in Vanuatu next week to actually start the ball rolling with some business visitors from PNG to Vanuatu and I have suggested that likewise later on PNG pobably might try to visit here."

Gus Kraus says the partnership will hopefully expand to include other carriers from Fiji and New Caledonia.