Honiara-based Solomon Airlines is re-introducing regular flights between the Solomon Islands and Australia, Fiji, Vanuatu, and Kiribati in early August. The tiny airline is benefiting from a partial relaxation of entry rules into the Solomons and is counting on a further easing of restrictions soon. Solomon Airlines CEO says the resumption of scheduled international flights marks a significant milestone in the airline's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Solomon Airlines picks up the pace of its flying from August 1

Effective August 1, Solomon Airlines will resume regular passenger operations on its Honiara (HIR) - Brisbane (BNE) route with twice-weekly return services. Every second week, there also will be a third weekly flight to Brisbane. Resuming once a fortnight are flights on the Brisbane - Tarawa (Kiribati) (TRW) route, while a once a fortnight BNE - TRW via HIR service will also run. The airline has also adjusted timings on selected domestic flights to Munda, Gizo, Seghe, and Suavanao to allow for direct connections from international services on the Brisbane-Honiara route.

If a Pacific islands milk run takes your fancy, every Tuesday from August 1, Solomon Airlines will fly a Honiara - Port Vila (VLI) - Nadi (NAN) - Honaira service using its sole Airbus A320-200. With a civilized 10:45 departure, just under seven and a half hours of travel time (including stops), and a round trip fare starting at around US$376, this seems like a fine way to do some island hopping.

"Reopening our borders is a major milestone that means Solomon Airlines can again open up our flights and network to the world," said Solomon Airlines CEO Brett Gebers.

"The past two years and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have been an incredibly long and testing journey, and we say, tagio tumas to everyone who has supported us, for your patience and perseverance, especially our hardworking staff who made sacrifices to ensure the survival of Solomon Airlines. Our immediate priority now is to re-establish our core Pacific Islands network and ensure convenient connections from global markets, especially New Zealand, Asia, the United States, and Europe, via Brisbane and Fiji."

Solomon Airlines Regional Route Map
Image. Solomon Airlines

Small steps forward for the Solomons and its national carrier

Those partner airlines include Qantas and Fiji Airways, allowing for easy connections on and off that Solomon Airlines Airbus in either Nadi or Brisbane. Solomon Airlines hasn't had an easy time of since COVID-19 began. The Solomons closed its borders. Its bigger regional neighbors, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji did likewise, reducing flights to cargo services and essential NGO, diplomatic, and government passengers. The pandemic underscored the isolation of thinly spread-out island nations across the Southwest Pacific and their dependence on air transport to move people and cargo around.

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In mid-2022, the majority of these small countries are only just beginning to reopen with flights by their national carriers either restarting or ramping up. Fiji set the pace late last year, reopening and attempting to lure back tourists. Lower-profile countries like the Solomon Islands are lagging - to the detriment of their national airlines and overall economy. Still, small steps and the partial relaxation of entry restrictions is a move in the right direction.

"That means gradual recovery of inbound tourism, more opportunities for international air freight, and our optimism about the future of air travel in our region has proved well-founded," noted the Solomon Airlines CEO.