French Polynesia’s Motu Link Airline begins revenue flights

By Andrew Curran.

French Polynesian cargo start-up Motu Link Airline commenced revenue flights on May 29, 2026, with services from Papeete (PPT) to Raiatea (RFP) and Rangiroa (RGI), followed by a flight to Bora Bora (BOB) on May 30.

The launch follows Motu Link Airline securing its air operator’s certificate in mid-May. The process from business idea to launch took eight years.

ADS-B flight tracking data shows Motu Link’s cargo-configured ATR72-500, F-OHEI (msn 0713), operated a Papeete – Bora Bora round-trip on May 28 after 21 days parked on the apron at Papeete.

Mid-morning local time on May 29, the ATR operated a Papeete – Raiatea round-trip, followed by a Papeete – Rangiroa round-trip. A flight to Bora Bora and another flight to Rangiroa took place over the weekend.

The airline also intends to begin flying between Papeete and Nuku Hiva (NHV) in the Marquesas Islands, and to Tubuai (TUB) in the Austral Islands.

Motu Link Airline is the only dedicated cargo airline based in French Polynesia. It plans to use its ATR to transport time-sensitive and perishable freight between Tahiti and the territory’s many islands.

Until now, scheduled passenger operators Air Tahiti and Air Moana carry urgent freight in the belly holds of their passenger aircraft, while sea vessels transport most other cargo.

Aero South Pacific has contacted Motu Link Airline for comment on the start of operations.

Filling a gap in French Polynesia's cargo market

With 75 cubic metres of cargo space and an eight-tonne payload capacity, Motu Link Airline believes its ATR can fill a gap in the market, including transporting palletised and containerised freight.

The airline attracted attention from aviation observers outside French Polynesia after successfully using crowdfunding to raise around three-quarters of the funds needed to acquire the ATR72.

The crowdfunding platform that managed the campaign, Fenua Financement, has since used the success of the project as a springboard to launch a dedicated aircraft financing platform called Rattel Aero.

Photo: Motu Link Airline.

Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com