Air NZ signs up to support Palau airline
NZPA
Air NZ signs up to support Palau airline
07 November 2003
Air New Zealand said today it had signed up to support Palau's start up airline, Palau Micronesia Air.
Alan Seid, president of the new airline, hailed the contract with the "world renowned airline, Air New Zealand".
The Palau airline had planned for a December take-off "but ran into a few hurdles that could not be overcome due to prior operational commitments of Air New Zealand".
"We did our best to leap those hurdles but have come to the conclusion that an April start is now the appropriate launch date," Mr Seid said in a statement.
Air NZ has agreed to to provide a range of support services for the new company including providing pilots and engineering.
Palau Micronesia Air has no engineering and operational infrastructure of its own but will operate its two Boeing 737-300 aircraft under Air NZ's Airline Operating Certificate.
Air NZ ventures general manager Craig Sinclair and the Palau airline said Air NZ pilots would operate the planes initially until locals were trained.
Air NZ has had a similar arrangement with Papua New Guinea's Air Niugini.
Japan Airlines is also backing the Palau initiative and will code share with the new airline which will serve the local Micronesia Islands and the Japanese tourism market.
Palau's main airport in Koror is currently used by Continental Airlines, which operates scheduled services to the island, and Japan Airlines which operates charter flights.
The island of Palau is an independent republic (since 1994) in the north-western Pacific, south-west of Guam. Its main income is derived from tourism and fishing.
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