25 Oct 2011

Tong says talks continue over Air Kiribati suspension

12:38 pm on 25 October 2011

The caretaker President, Anote Tong, says the government is addressing the issue of the suspension of Air Kiribati flights to and from Fiji.

Air Kiribati leases Nauru's Our Airline aircraft for flights from Nadi to Tarawa but the Fiji interim government stopped the flights early last month.

Air Kiribati has maintained it has done nothing wrong but Fiji has cited operational concerns - such as the reservation system, insurance cover and the airline's Air Operator Certificate.

Mr Tong says his government is looking into the matter.

"There are some technical issues to be sorted out, who owns the plane, what rights they have. We're addressing that. It's being dealt with not at airlines level, but at inter-governmental level."

The caretaker Kiribati President, Anote Tong.