Australia gifts fire trucks to reopen Naoero air links

By Andrew Curran.

The Australian Government has gifted two firefighting vehicles to Naoero after the existing airport firefighting vehicles went out of service, forcing Nauru Airlines to suspend flights to and from the tiny island country's only airport, Yaren (INU).

Nauru Airlines began cancelling flights in July, attributing the disruptions to "ongoing operational limitations caused by unserviceable fire trucks in Naoero."

"We are aware that Nauru Airlines has suspended flights in and out of Naoero International Airport," the US Embassy in Fiji posted online late last month.

Yesterday, August 13, the Government of Naoero posted images of a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster ferrying the first fire truck to Naoero. The second is expected to be flown in on Friday, August 14.

"The two vehicles, gifted from Australia to Naoero, will ensure valuable civil aviation security standards and safety protocols," the Government of Naoero posted on its official Facebook page.

The Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reported earlier this year that fire trucks in Naoero were arriving at callouts without any water in their tanks. At the time, National Fire Authority CEO Puamau Sowane disputed that claim.

"We don't run our truck without water," he said. "Even if it's without water, when they are running, they could feel it. They could feel the splashing of the vehicle. So that is an assumption."

Interim airport fire fighting equipment sees Nauru Airlines flights resume

Nauru Airlines says it resumed flights to and from Yaren on August 10 after working through what it termed "recent operational challenges". ADS-B flight-tracking data shows scheduled services are getting back on track after several weeks of cancellations.

The green light to restart flights appears to have followed the donation of three dry chemical powder units earlier this month.

The Australian High Commission in Naoero said in a Facebook post on August 7 that the donation provides "immediate aircraft rescue and firefighting capability to support the safe resumption of flights and help maintain vital passenger, freight, and emergency air links."

"This marks an important step towards resuming regular connectivity while additional firefighting assets are brought online."

Australian Government steps in to restore air links

Nauru Airlines operates a fleet of seven Boeing aircraft, including two B737-300Fs, two passenger-configured B737-300s, one B737-700 and one B737-800. An eighth aircraft, a B737-800F, is currently leased to India's Afcom Cargo.

Its aircraft normally operate scheduled services from Yaren to Brisbane (BNE), Honiara (HIR), Majuro (MAJ), Tarawa (TRW), Suva (SUV) and Nadi (NAN).

Yesterday, the High Commission also posted about the arrival of the two firefighting trucks this week, saying they would "bolster the aircraft rescue and firefighting capability at Naoero International Airport."

"Close partnership between Australia and Naoero strengthens community connections, supports safety, and maintains essential passenger, freight, and emergency air links for Naoero," the post added.

New North Pacific Connector operator contract still unresolved

Meanwhile, Nauru Airlines recently dropped two legs of its Australian Government-backed North Pacific Connector service. In early July, the airline ceased operating the Majuro (MAJ) – Pohnpei (PNI) and Pohnpei – Koror (ROR) legs of what was previously a five-sector service linking Brisbane (BNE) with Palau.

The Australian Government issued a fresh tender for the service earlier this year. The current contract expires in October. Aero South Pacific has learned that, as of late July, the results of the tender had not been announced,  something one Nauru Airlines official said was "part of the (airline's) problem."

Photo: Government of Naoero.
Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com