Nouméa Commercial Court puts Air Calédonie into receivership

By Andrew Curran.

Nouméa’s Commercial Court (Tribunal mixte de commerce de Nouméa) has placed Air Calédonie into receivership. The court issued the order yesterday, April 14, following a decision by the airline’s board to file for bankruptcy.

Yves Dupas, Nouméa’s public prosecutor (Procureur de la République), filed the application on behalf of the airline.

As reported by Les Nouvelles Calédoniennes, Dupas told the court that Air Calédonie provided an essential public service linking New Caledonia’s outer islands with the mainland. He said it was important that the majority government-owned airline survives.

Dupas said the airline “has the means to return to a viable level of activity” and that the receivership order would provide Air Calédonie with six months to reorganise its affairs. As part of the receivership proceedings, all debts incurred before 14 April are now frozen.

Blockades send Air Calédonie over a financial cliff

Air Calédonie has struggled financially for several years, but an ongoing blockade of three of the four outer island domestic airports it serves has seen domestic operations suspended since early March, costing the carrier around XPF10 million (USD98,500) per day.

Protesters are trying to stop the transfer of Air Calédonie’s Nouméa operations from Magenta Airport (GEA) to La Tontouta Airport (NOU).

Flights to Île des Pins Airport (ILP) have recently resumed after protesters there ended their blockade, but Maré (MEE), Lifou (LIF), and Ouvéa (UVE) airports remain closed.

According to the newspaper, the blockades have added XPF256 million (USD2.5 million) to the airline’s debt.

Receivership allows Air Calédonie to continue flying

Dupas said Air Calédonie can continue flying for the next six months. Aside from the Île des Pins flights, the airline’s sole international service between Nouméa and Port Vila (VLI) has kept operating.

“The main objective of the justice system is to support Air Calédonie in safeguarding its operations and preserving the jobs of its 220 employees, with the aim of reaching a debt repayment plan,” Dupas said.

Air Calédonie’s receivership is the second time in less than three years that the airline has undergone restructuring. This time, Dupas warns that the current proceedings are Air Calédonie’s “last chance”.

Air Calédonie operates three ATR72-600s. Two are supporting the airline’s existing operations, while the third was ferried to Christchurch (CHC) in mid-March for a scheduled heavy maintenance D-check.

Photo: AI-Generated.

Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com