Solomon Islands says ball in Fiji's court over aviation rights

Transcript

Solomon Islands civil aviation authority is calling for Fiji to come to the table so a dispute over aviation rights between the two countries can be resolved.

Both countries have suspended the other's flights between Honiara and Nadi and are calling for each other to lift their suspensions.

The director of Solomons aviation authority, George Satu, says Fiji authorities appear to have issued their suspension after he refused their request for a new slot on Saturdays to operate a second service.

Mr Satu told Amelia Langford he could not approve that extra service due to conflicting schedules but any other day would have been acceptable.

GEORGE SATU: My view on this impasse is it's not that complicated. I refused a new slot on Saturday but their scheduled flight on every Tuesday it's still on so as soon as I refused that slot on Saturdays the Fijian authority, actually the solicitor general, in return suspended Solomon Airlines scheduled flight into Nadi.

AMELIA LANGFORD: And is that an ongoing suspension?

GS: From what he has written in his letter, it's an ongoing suspension so the Solomon Island authority and myself see this, as it's not a level playing field. We also rejected Fiji Airways to fly into Honiara on Tuesdays now.

AL: Okay, so a bit of tit for tat there.

GS: Exactly, yes so now my decision will be a weekly decision. If Fiji does not uplift their suspension for Solomon Airlines to fly into Nadi on Saturdays, then I'll reserve that right as well.

AL: The Fiji government has said that the responsibility lies here with the Solomon Islands because the government refused to allow two Fiji Airways direct flights from Nadi to Honiara over the past two weekends.

GS: Well from my point of view this is all rubbish because it's a new slot altogether, it's not an existing under their schedule it's a new slot which I refused but the Tuesday schedule is still approved until they suspended Solomon Airlines flight into Nadi on the 11th. That's why we took that action.

AL: And how do you think this situation could be resolved?

GS: It depends on the two parties if they come together to a common understanding of each other. But my view now is that the Solomon Island authorities now we want to review the whole air service agreement which was signed on the 10th July 1990, it's a long overdue agreement, which we are now reviewing it for a possible negotiation with the Fijian authorities.

AL: So would you say it's up to the Fiji government here to lift their suspension and then Solomon government will then lift their suspension.

GS: Yes, I would say the ball is in the Fijian authority's court because for them to suspend an approved schedule for no good reason, it's in their court, because my action was on a new slot, not on the existing schedule.

Solomon Islands civil aviation authority director, George Satu.

The Fiji Government has said the responsibility lies with Solomon Islands because it suspended Fiji flights.