15 Apr 2023

Air Vanuatu's only Boeing 737 returns after two weeks grounded

2:04 pm on 15 April 2023

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Air Vanuatu's only Boeing 737 is set to take off after being grounded for two weeks.

As of 15 April, all international flights for Australia and New Zealand had resumed, the airline said in a statement.

Hundreds of passengers' plans were disrupted when the airline was forced to halt its international operations due to mechanical issues.

The airline tapped into partner airlines for support with flying impacted passengers while waiting for parts for its plane.

"Air Vanuatu apologises for the inconvenience this may cause to your travel plan and extends its appreciation to all our affected guests for their patience," a spokesperson for Air Vanuatu said.

"The full re-ticketing and refund policies remain in place for affected passengers who require changes to their plans."

The disruption was expected to have wider impacts for the recovering tourism sector following last month's twin cyclone disaster.

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