Solomon Airlines adopts more focused international schedule

By Andrew Curran.

Solomon Airlines has released a “more focused” international flight schedule that better accommodates capacity restrictions stemming from an out-of-service A320-200, changing network requirements, and current market conditions.

Among the headline changes announced yesterday, September 15, are frequency changes on the Brisbane (BNE) – Honiara (HIR) and Auckland (AKL) – Port Vila (VLI) city pairs.

This follows the airline recently announcing that it would suspend its recently launched Christchurch (CHC) – Port Vila and Port Moresby (POM) – Honiara flights.

“To ensure our airline can continue to grow and thrive, and to establish stability of operations across our network, we have carefully reviewed our fleet deployment and network requirements and determined that a more focused international schedule is appropriate for the months ahead,” said Solomon Airlines CEO Matthew Findlay.

Multiple factors behind the changes

Effective immediately, frequencies on the Brisbane – Honiara city pair will move to thrice weekly and services on the Auckland – Port Vila city pair will shift to twice weekly.

Frequencies on Solomon Airlines’ five other international routes, namely Brisbane – Luganville (SON), Honiara – Port Vila, Honiara – Nadi (NAN) and Brisbane – Munda (MUA), remain unchanged, although in some cases flights are switching to different days.

“We recognise that changes to scheduled services can affect our customers’ travel and cargo plans, and we sincerely regret any inconvenience caused,” Findlay said.

The airline has pointed to several factors behind the changes, including escalating fuel costs, prevailing economic conditions and changes in forward travel demand.

Critically, one of Solomon Airlines’ two A320-200s has remained out of service since early July after a third party inadvertently damaged the area near the aircraft’s door in an incident involving aircraft stairs.

Solomon Airlines had initially expected the aircraft to be out-of-service for a matter of weeks, but the A320-200 remains in Brisbane and is now not expected to resume flying until late November. In the interim, Solomon Airlines has relied on ACMI providers such as Skytrans Australia to help service its schedules.

But when the A320-200 does return to service, it won’t be for long. As previously reported by Aero South Pacific, the aircraft, H4-SIB (msn 2445), will be withdrawn from service in February and returned to the lessor, Carlyle Aviation.

A strategic re-think for Solomon Airlines

That decision marks a strategic pivot for Solomon Airlines. It has long relied on its international routes to cross-subsidise its many loss-making domestic routes.

Under Findlay, who took up the CEO role earlier this year, Solomon Airlines is instead focusing on improving its extensive domestic inter-island network.

“Our principal purpose is to serve our nation and its people, and strengthening our domestic operations is critical, as is supporting our key connections to markets for the movement of people and products,” he said.

In June, the newly installed Prime Minister, Matthew Wale, said Solomon Airlines needed to “think big” and fast-track a strategic roadmap.

“Domestic airfares are too high, freight costs are excessive and flight schedules are inconsistent,” Wale said at the time. “These are issues that must be addressed.”

Findlay said he welcomed the challenge.

“I welcome the Prime Minister’s and Finance Minister’s directness,” he said. “They are right to have the highest expectations of Solomon Airlines, and right to ask us to think bigger, move faster, and bring forward a clearer strategic roadmap.”

Findlay also says he regrets having to return the A320 but it is a decision he doesn’t resile from “given the prolonged disruption to our operation, a challenging operating environment and the need to restore operational integrity for our customers”.

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