Honouring our nation's nurses on International Nurses Day with a VIP flight

• Nurses fly high with Solomon Airlines on International Nurses Day
• Nine Solomon Islands organisations collaborate to make it possible

Solomon Airlines is saying ‘Tagio Tumas to our Nation’s Nurses’ on International Nurses Day, joining with eight other prominent Solomon Islands businesses and organisations to sponsor a VIP scenic flight for 18 dedicated nurses from the National Referral Hospital.

The 60-minute scenic flight operated by Solomon Airlines Twin Otter H4-SIC, took off at 9.20am from Henderson Airport flying over Central Province, across to Yandina, and back along the coastline of Guadalcanal before landing again at Henderson.

Onboard are nurses nominated for their exceptional efforts and dedication to care for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Upon boarding, the nurses were welcomed and presented with a garland and refreshments, and upon their return, a souvenir certificate commemorating their flight.

To honour them, and recognise their incredible efforts as frontline workers during the pandemic, the following organisations have joined Solomon Airlines to make the flight possible - Solomon Island Ports Authority (SIPA), Solomon Power, Tourism Solomons, National Fisheries Developments (NFD), Solomon Island National Provident Fund (NPF), Heritage Park Hotel, Bank South Pacific (BSP) and South Pacific Oil.

“Together, on International Nurses Day we want to express our deep appreciation to nurses everywhere, and especially to our special guests and the National Referral Hospital, for keeping us safe, both through preventative measures, and in caring for those who are hospitalised,” said Mr. Brett Gebers, CEO of Solomon Airlines.

“Across the community, we are indebted to them, and today we are showing our appreciation by treating them to a special experience we hope they will always remember,” he said.

“Solomon Airlines is also extremely grateful to our corporate partners. they answered our call to support the National Referral Hospital, and in doing so, have made this experience possible.

“So many of them, by the nature of their work and industries, are also at the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic and our national efforts to tackle it.

Mr. Gebers confirmed a special flight route had been planned to provide the finest possible views. 

The aircraft departed Henderson, heading East over Oil Palms, flying towards Nuhu Island, tracking back towards Ngella and hugging the Southern Ngella coastline before turning North over Tulagi to view the Boromole Passage. It will then turn West hugging the Northern Ngella coastline. From Sandfly Islands the flight path will continue to fly over Savo Island for an aerial view over the volcano crater, and Russell Islands group before returning to Honiara via the Northern Guadalcanal coastline.