Linking eastern and western Polynesia

An air service linking eastern and western Pacific countries is a topic its advocates hope will be considering during the 43rd Pacific Leaders Forum.

Since the early 1990s, eastern and western Polynesia has not been linked by an air service. In the 70s through to the early 80s, Tonga, Samoa and Niue were all connected to Rarotonga with a Polynesian Airlines, Hawker Sydeley airline service.

Then in the late 80s until 1992, a 737 service from Samoa to Niue to Rarotonga and back flew on a weekly basis.

These services founded on the reefs of low demand due to low promotional budgets and high overheads but while they were operating, businesses on the ground in the countries involved enjoyed an up-turn in profits.

Culture and sport also benefited by more efficient interaction that direct flights provided.

Recently, a business group in Niue along with advice from colleagues in Rarotonga have been trying to resurrect the connections between Rarotonga, Niue, Samoa and Tonga thus connecting the whole of Polynesia from East to West. That is, from Easter Island and the Marqueses to Fiji.

The concept is flawed for a variety of reasons, most obviously economic viability.

Niue is geographically positioned to be the ideal refuelling hub for such services and the New Zealand government recognise this and has offered underwriting assistance to Niue to help develop east-west links. The Niue government has declined this offer.

Niue Business Round Table spokesman Mark Cross says:

”We don’t fully understand the reasons for this but a couple of years ago NZ Mfat (New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) offered support for such services to the Niue government and the Premier unilaterally declined the offer. Wellington and Niue are hoping for a second flight from Auckland to Niue next year when more accommodation and beds come on stream and they may feel that east-west flights may jeopodise this fragile possibility. But, although I do not want to get into detail here, we believe that there are more sinister reasons for the premier not wanting east-west services.

”We ask ourselves why can one country and in particular one man, put an obstacle in the path of private sector and tourism development, as well as cultural and sporting interaction in the whole region? It is partly because of this undemocratic behaviour that we have pursued this regional discussion course of action.“