Air Rarotonga likely to take

take over Nine route

Operators of the controversial Coral Air in Niue have again put their claims to the Niuean Government to provide further funding under the November 14 agreement to start a one-plane service from Niue to Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and American Samoa.

The airline said it could start the new service using a Beech 1900 within four weeks of receipt of the balance of funds.

Earlier it was reported an airline spokesperson had said action would be taken to recover NZ$2O million ((US$lO.2 million) from the government of Niue for lost business because of the dispute over unpaid funds required to get the airline up

and running. The amount announced is equivalent to the island’s total budget for

a year. However government spokesperson Terry Chapman a

political advisor to the Niue Peoples Party said the airline is dead and the government wants Coral Air to pay back

Nz$2Oo,Ooo (Us$102,000).

Chapman said Air Rarotonga which is likely to start flying into Niue in July usxg a jet prop Saab is also being invited to service a Niue-Tonga-Fiji return route.

Meanwhile, major maintenance on the Royal Tongan Airlines Boeing 737-200 has again delayed direct flights from Auckland to Niue. For the two weeks flights left Auckland

on different dates with Niue passengers over-nighting in Tonga. The issue is one that embarasses the ruling party. PNS ■

Coral Air was to be the pride of the Niue People's Paly