Nauru’s national airline has shelved plans to buy a new aircraft after announcements that several key destinations will be serviced by other airlines. Air Nauru had its only aircraft impounded by a creditor five months ago and the islands government, with financial aid from Taiwan, has been negotiating the purchase of a replacement plane.

But its chief executive, Geoff Bowmaker says two recent developments have forced them to put this plan on hold.

He says with Norfolk Island dropping Air Nauru’s services out of Australia in favour of Ozjet, and Air Pacific’s decision to fly the Nadi/Tarawa/Nauru route, the airline no longer has enough work to keep a plane fully employed.

“Principally the loss of the Norfolk flying has made us rethink and also the fact that Air Pacific will be applying capacity to a route we used to operate solely also makes us pause and think about the plan to engage a full time aircraft,” Mr Bowmaker said.
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