CANBERRA/YAREN, (NAURU AIRLINE) — The Australian Government has extended its support to Nauru Airlines until October 2025 as the carrier builds its Australia-North Pacific Connector route.
However, the weekly Brisbane-Palau direct route will cease this month, following the conclusion of the airline’s contract to establish the service.
Nauru Airlines commenced regular island-hopper services more than 12 years ago, connecting Brisbane to Nauru and onwards to Kiribati, the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.
Since October 2022, Nauru Airlines has operated the weekly Australia-North Pacific Connector route from Brisbane via Nauru, Tarawa, Majuro and Pohnpei, extending the service to Palau in December 2023.
Supported under the Australia-Pacific Partnerships for Aviation Programme (P4A), the service provides essential air links between northern and central Pacific nations and key destinations in Australia, Asia and Fiji.
Nauru Airlines CEO Brett Gebers said: “Micronesia and the central and northern Pacific is Nauru Airline’s home, and the airline has been connecting the islands of the Pacific and the people of the Pacific with Australia for over 53 years.”
“Air services that connect Pacific Islands countries with Australia are crucial to the economic development of the region. They deliver far more than visitors and tourists, also enabling trade and new business and commercial opportunities.”
On 21 May 2024, the national carrier established and launched the Palau Paradise Express route to open a new direct air service linking Australia and Palau at the request of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade.
On completion of the contract, Qantas will operate the Brisbane-Palau route from December 2024…. PACNEWS