Air Calédonie flights to Ouvéa due to restart today

By Andrew Curran.

Another New Caledonian airport blockaded by local protesters will re-open today, September 10, 2026, just over six months since the blockade began. The Government of New Caledonia announced the reopening of Hulup airfield on Ouvéa (UVE) earlier this week, commending the decision.

“This decision… is a responsible move in favour of the general interest and the continuity of essential services,” the September 7 government statement reads.

In early March, protesters began preventing scheduled Air Calédonie flights from taking off and landing at Île des Pins (ILP), Maré (MEE), Lifou (LIF) and Ouvéa Island airports.

The protesters, who have links to local pro-independence groups and tribal landowners, objected to a government decision to transfer Air Calédonie’s Nouméa hub from Magenta Airport (GEA) to the more distant La Tontouta Airport (NOU).

The protests specifically targeted Air Calédonie flights. Since March, Air Oceania has resumed scheduled flights to Maré, Lifou Island and Ouvéa from Magenta Airport. However, Air Oceania, which relies on a single Tecnam P2012 to service its network in New Caledonia, cannot match the capacity or frequency of Air Calédonie’s ATR72-600 flights.

Six months in, third airport blockade ends

Blockading airports is a tactic occasionally used by these groups, all located on outer islands, to persuade the Nouméa-based government to change course on a particular issue.

In this case, the government stuck to its decision and, as a result, Air Calédonie flights to all four airports ceased in early March, financially crippling the already embattled state-owned carrier and helping tip it into the New Caledonian equivalent of voluntary administration in April.

However, there were also repercussions out on the islands, with residents unable to easily access Nouméa. Businesses on the islands also felt the impact, with supply lines becoming vulnerable and the all-important tourists unable to easily access the islands.

Protesters at tourist-dependent Île des Pins were the first to back down, reaching an agreement with the Government of New Caledonia at the end of March for Air Calédonie to resume flights there. Flights to Lifou Island resumed in early June after a local high chief intervened, ordering the airport’s re-opening after becoming concerned about the economic and social fallout of preventing Air Calédonie flights.

With Ouvéa due to re-open today, only Maré remains closed to Air Calédonie flights, relying on the Air Oceania services.

Opposition remains to reopening of Lifou and Ouvéa Airports

But the resumption of Air Calédonie flights to Lifou and Ouvéa hasn’t been smooth sailing, with the decision to end the blockades proving unpopular in some quarters. As with most places, the local groups behind the protests have competing agendas and priorities. Some want to keep the blockades in place.

A plan to resume blockading Lifou Airport earlier this month was only dropped at the last minute because the government in Nouméa threatened to arrest and prosecute people who hindered the smooth operation of flights.

However, the Drehu Customary Coordination Committee, which was behind the planned resumption of protests at Lifou, says it has no plans to drop its demands that Air Calédonie move back to Magenta Airport and will “continue to maintain the pressure”.

Likewise, on Ouvéa Island, the Iaai Customary Coordination Collective, which represents three major chiefdoms on the island, opposes the airport re-opening decision. It says the deal to do so, negotiated between the Banutr chieftaincy and the government, involved a “minor chief” acting “without approval”.

The Iaai Customary Coordination Collective says it has no plans to let the flights to Ouvéa restart today and is “maintaining its position.”

Local chiefs say Ouvéa Airport will not reopen

It is not yet clear if the Government of New Caledonia has flown in police reinforcements to Ouvéa ahead of today’s restart of flights. There was a strong police presence on Lifou the day the protests were meant to resume there. That police presence played a big role is Drehu Customary Coordination Committee’s decision not to proceed with restarting the blockade.

“After several months of suspension, the government fully understands the scope of this decision for the inhabitants of Iaai and is pleased to salute the sense of responsibility shown by the local authorities,” the government’s contrasting statement reads.

“The government will remain fully mobilized to support this resumption and ensure that it is sustained over time, benefiting the population of Ouvéa and all the Loyalty Islands.”

In a notice posted on its website, Air Calédonie says it plans a gradual resumption of flights to Ouvéa, with the first scheduled to operate on Thursday morning.

Photo: AI-Generated.
Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific,com