Row over airport closure

Aviation

A Diplomatic

row has broken out over a decision by the Pacific island na tion of Kiribati to partially close its in

ternational airport

for upgrading.

The neighbouring

Marshall Islands issued a diplomatic protest over the clos ure, complaining there was not enough

warning. Air

Marshall Islands, which now flies via Kiribati on four days

a week, said the shutdown would have a “tremendous” financial impact on both its international and domestic services.

The island nation of Tuvalu, which uses Air Marshall Islands as its national carrier, is also understood to be concerned. Air services are vital to the farflung islands of all three countries.

Kiribati said that for three months from April 14, its airport at the capital Tarawa would be open only on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons.

The partial closure was to allow workers to complete the upgrading of the airport on schedule, it said. Air Marshall commercial director David Tejada said the air services agreement Wl ‘!' K ‘ nba " r «! uiret J. at least 60 da V s notlce De given to airlines. To be told only a w eek beforehand is impossible. Air Marshall Islands now hi es through Tarawa on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Marshall Islands Transport Minister

Kunio Lemari said a diplomatic note sent already would ask Kiribati to recon sider the partial shut down because of the disruption it would cause to air services.

Tuvalu was also understood to be considering a protest, but a government spokesman said there would be no com ment until it had assessed the problem.

Air Nauru has can celled its weekly

flight to Suva through Tarawa, a spokesman for the Nauru Consulate in

Fiji said.

Services by Kiribati’s own airline, Air Tungaru, have also been badly affected, A Kiribati government spokesman said t h e committee responsible for the airport would meet the Chinese contractors to consider whether to postpone the work.

There was no news of a decision. The upgrading is being funded by a loan from the government of China. □

Kiribati airport: at the centre of a diplomatic storm