despite

Samoans stable despite Ansett pull-out

WESTERN Samoa’s finance minister Tuilaepa Sailele said the government is confident it can turn Polynesian Airlines into profitability despite withdrawal last month of its Australian partner, Ansett.

The government localised key senior management posts in the finance plagued airline.

A fomer civil aviation consultant to the Samoan government, Papali’i Grant is the new chief executive among other reshuffles.

Ansett sought to cease midway its 10-year management contract with Poly nesian.

It cited uninterrupted losses for pulling out but Australian aviation analysts believe it is part of Ansett’s venture into strengthening domestically in Australia before launching into new international routes.

Ansett and Australian Airlines are now permitted to fly offshore under sweeping changes to aviation laws an

nounccd in February.

Ansel t, owned by TNT Lid and the News Corp, stands to benefit from the changes to Australian aviation policy which also includes allowing Qantas and Air New Zealand to fly domcuically.

Air Vanuatu plans

AIR VANUATU has plans to increase flights out of its main tourist source countries - Australia and New Zealand from June.

It is part of the government-run carrier’s push to capture more tourists out of the region’s main tourisi markets, said Vanuatu National Tourism Office’s administration manager, Linda Kalpoi.

She said while Vanuatu was turning popular among cruise-ship visitors, gov ernment tourism agencies realise that airline services would have to be kept up with demand.

Infrequent air services to Port Vila has deterred Pacific holiday wholesalers, like the Qantas subsidiary Viva Holidays, from aggressively selling Vanuatu in its

packages.

An increase in flights from Australia and New Zealand would make the

campaign in Sydney in March promising

affordable holidays to what it sells as “the

unspoilt paradise”.

Australia and New Zealand provide the bulk of Vanuatu’s 34,000 yearly tourists.

It is also serviced by Air Caledonie from Noumea.