Nauru Airlines drops two North Pacific Connector sectors

By Andrew Curran.

Nauru Airlines has dropped two sectors from its Australian Government-backed North Pacific Connector service. Effective July 3, 2026, the airline has 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.

AeroRoutes first flagged the changes, noting that the airline had stopped selling tickets on the affected sectors.

The North Pacific Connector is funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through the Pacific Partnerships for Aviation programme. It aims to improve air links between Australia and Pacific Islands Forum members in the Central and North Pacific.

Nauru Airlines, which has operated the service since 2022, flew a weekly Brisbane – Nauru (INU) - Tarawa (TRW) - Majuro (MAJ) - Pohnpei - Koror - return rotation.

The service now appears to terminate at Majuro, with the operating aircraft returning directly to Nauru.

New North Pacific Connector tender

Earlier this year, the Australian Government issued a new tender seeking proposals to operate the North Pacific Connector service. DFAT called for a weekly service able to carry at least 75 passengers and 1,000 kilograms of cargo on each sector, connecting Australia with Nauru, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau.

The contract provides for an initial 24-month term, with an option to extend for a further two years. The successful airline would sell passenger and freight capacity commercially, with revenue offset against the operating costs reimbursed by DFAT. The department estimates the contract is worth approximately AUD12 million (USD8.3 million) a year.

It is unclear whether Nauru Airlines or another carrier secured the contract.

In March, Australia’s Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, Pat Conroy, met with ministers from the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Nauru, Palau and the Marshall Islands in Canberra to discuss aviation connectivity across the North Pacific.

Among the topics discussed were improving the efficiency of the North Pacific Connector and placing the service on a pathway towards long-term sustainability.

Around the same time, Nauru Airlines adjusted the North Pacific Connector timetable to “better align aircraft utilisation and operational performance with regional demand”. However, no sectors were withdrawn at that time.

North Pacific Connector flights now terminating at Majuro

Going forward, the airline appears set to operate a Nauru – Majuro – Tarawa - Nauru rotation, with one service in each direction each week, connecting with flights to and from Brisbane.

On July 2, a B737-300 registered VH-PNI (MSN 28555) operated Brisbane - Nauru as flight ON41. The following day, the same aircraft continued from Nauru to Tarawa and Majuro, again operating as ON41, before returning directly to Nauru as ON44.

On July 6, a Nauru Airlines B737 is scheduled to operate Nauru - Majuro as ON43 before returning to Nauru via Tarawa as ON42 and continuing through to Brisbane later that evening under the same flight number.

Nauru Airlines’ booking portal does not show any services operating to Pohnpei or Koror between now and the end of the year.

Aero South Pacific has approached Nauru Airlines for comment.

Photo: Nauru Airlines.
Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com