Nauru Airlines has announced that it has been awarded a new agreement by the Australian government to operate a vital ‘milk-run’ inter-island service for a further 12 months. The airline will seek to build on the sustainability of the route as it sets out on the contract extension that will see the carrier operate the ‘Australia-North Pacific Connector’ route until October 2025.
The national carrier of the Republic of Nauru island nation, Nauru Airlines originally commenced regular island hopper services over 12 years ago, connecting Brisbane to Nauru and on to Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia.
The service was placed on pause during the COVID-19 pandemic but recommenced in October 2022, rebranded as the ‘Australia-North Pacific Connector’ under Australia’s Pacific Flights Program. In December last year, Nauru Airlines extended the Australia-North Pacific Connector onwards to Palau.
The current service provides essential air links connecting northern and central Pacific countries and islands to key destinations in Australia, Asia, and Fiji. The weekly flight departs from Brisbane Airport (BNE) in Queensland and operates to the islands of Nauru (INU), Tarawa (TRW), Majuro (MAJ), and Pohnpei (PNI), to Palau (ROR).
“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,” said Nauru Airlines CEO Brett Gebers.
“Air services that connect Pacific Islands countries with an important partner like 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. We are grateful that the Australian government recognizes this and is partnering with us to support these essential flights,” he added.
The weekly service is currently operated by one of the carrier’s small fleet of just three Boeing 737 family aircraft. The airline has one 27-year-old 737-300 in its fleet, plus one 737-700 (18.8 years) and a single 186-seat 737-800 which is 21.5 years old.
Meanwhile, as part of its future flying program, Nauru Airlines will conclude operating a weekly Brisbane to Palau direct route later in November 2024 following the completion of the airline’s contract to establish the route. The carrier established and launched the ‘Palau Paradise Express’ in May 2024 at the request of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, to open a new direct air service linking Australia and Palau.
“We were pleased to accede to the request, and to be entrusted by DFAT to establish the route,” Gebers said. “The successful introduction of direct Brisbane to Palau flights is also thanks to our partners and suppliers for helping us to deliver the service in record time,” he added.
“As our contract comes to an end, we are delighted that national carrier Qantas will now take over operating the route next month and we look forward to working with Qantas to manage a seamless transition with minimal disruption to passengers,” he said.
Both the ‘Palau Paradise Express’ and the ‘Australia-North Pacific Connector’ services are enabled by the Australia-Pacific Partnerships for Aviation (P4A) program. P4A is an Australian Government initiative partnering with Pacific countries for a safer, more resilient, and sustainable aviation sector, improving people-to-people links and supporting economic growth.