Solomon Airlines Hails New Melanesian Aviation Partnership Accord

Honiara, Solomon Islands - Solomon Airlines has hailed a decision by fellow Melanesian airlines Air Nuigini and Air Vanuatu to combine resources with the Solomon Islands national carrier to jointly develop and promote partnership in aviation services.

Seen as offering major benefit to the Melanesian region, the three airlines signed an initial agreement in Honiara last week in principal agreeing to work in unison to assist and promote better understanding, partnership and generally promote the ideals of the Melanesian Spearhead Group*.

A key outcome of this meeting will see the three airlines entering into a tri-partite code share arrangement on the Port Moresby/Honiara/Port Villa route.

Expected to commence in June 2015, the code share agreement will see Air Vanuatu and Solomon Airlines utilising an Air Niugini Fokker 100 aircraft on the route.

The code share will form the basis for further corporation and other similar arrangements promoting aviation collaboration among Melanesian Spearhead Group carriers.

Further details will be released once this ground breaking multilateral agreement has been formalised which is expected to take place shortly.

*The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) is an intergovernmental organisation, composed of the four Melanesian states of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front of New Caledonia. The group orchestrates preferential trade agreements and supports economic development within its membership.