Solomon Airlines has now established a codeshare agreement with neighbouring Air Vanuatu, enabling both airlines to sell seats on a new flight between Port Vila and Auckland.
Air Vanuatu now flies three times weekly between Port Vila and Auckland following the addition of a third service on Mondays, operated by Solomon Airlines Airbus A320 aircraft under an ACMI lease. The codeshare agreement applies to both Monday and Tuesday service.
Effective immediately Solomon Airlines passengers can book flights to and from Auckland via the airline’s website and all booking channels.
On Mondays, Solomon Airlines flight IE722 departs Honiara at 2.20pm landing in Port Vila at 4.20pm, and connecting with Solomon Airlines Flight IE710 departing Vila at 5.20pm arriving in Auckland at 9.30pm.
The return service on Tuesdays is Solomon Airlines Flight IE711 departing Auckland at 11.00am arriving in Vila at 1.30pm and connecting to Solomon Flight IE 723 departing Vila at 2.20pm, arriving in Honiara at 4.20pm.
“These flights effectively re-establish Solomon Airlines re-entry to New Zealand, via the Auckland gateway,” said Solomon Airlines CEO Mr Gus Kraus.
“We can now offer easy travel from Solomon Islands to New Zealand flying same day from Honiara to Auckland via Port Vila and vice versa,” he said.
“Working with our Pacific neighbours, we can create synergies which benefit our passengers and make sense to us operationally,” he said.
“Flights from New Zealand also have potential to rapdily bring benefits at a time when our tourism industry is in recovery from recent events, and we are also preparing for the opportunity of the Sol2023 XVII Pacific Games,” Mr. Kraus added.
Air Vanuatu recently restarted Thursday direct flights between Brisbane and Santo, in Vanuatu, with the new route also operated by Solomon Airlines.
Source: Press Release, Solomon Airlines
