5 Jan 2011

Plans afoot for launch of new domestic Vanuatu airline

12:10 pm on 5 January 2011

A Vanuatu businessman, Dinh Van Than, says he is waiting for the Prime Minister Sato Kilman to approve his application to launch a new domestic airline called Vanuatu Airways.

He says he is confident the Prime Minister will allow him to launch the new airline to compete with the government-owned Air Vanuatu Domestic to force it to lower its airfares.

Mr Than used to own the domestic airline, Doveair, which was forced to close because of the Port Vila land riots in 1988.

His new company wants to use two nine-seater Islanders and a 34-seater Delta plane.

The plan is to base one Islander in Luganville and one in Tanna for services to the smaller outer islands while the larger Delta plane links the two hubs with Port Vila.