QF code back to Port Vila

CONFIRMED runway upgrades at Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila ( TD yesterday) have given Qantas the confidence to resume codesharing on Air Vanuatu’s (NF) services starting next month.

Qantas stopped selling flights to Port Vila through its codeshare arrangement with NF in Jan last year due to concerns over the condition of the runway.

Those concerns were triggered by Air New Zealand which shelved its flights to Port Vila indefinitely.

Until now, QF has maintained a presence in Vanuatu through a codeshare on Air Vanuatu’s twice weekly Brisbane-Santo services, which commenced in Jun 2016.

Effective immediately, Qantas is selling codeshare services between SYD/BNE and Port Vila, for travel from 16 Jun (subject to govt and regulatory approvals).

“This resumption of the sale of Qantas codeshare services follows repairs to the runway & a commitment by the Vanuatu Govt to complete permanent runway works at VLI,” Qantas said.

NF operates up to nine services per week between Australia and Port Vila using Boeing 737-800s.

QF’s decision to restart c’share flights to VLI was welcomed by Vanuatu Tourism Office (VTO), which said the move, along with the runway fix, “are positive steps forward for the tourism industry”.

“The codeshare will mean that we can welcome even more tourists and delegates, especially from Australia,” VTO gm Adela Issachar Aru told Travel Daily.

Vanuatu Hotels & Resorts Assoc chairman Bryan Death said “this is the news we have been waiting on and it couldn’t have come at a better time with the current destination marketing campaign”.

Air NZ said it was pleased to see progress of VLI’s upgrade, but its scheduled services remained suspended “until further notice”.