Dear Editor, speaking as someone who has been to the Cooks 20 plus times, including a few weeks ago, it currently costs me US$698 (about NZ$1126) to fly return Seattle to Tahiti on the new Air Tahiti Nui nonstop.

It will cost NZ$927 (seat + bag) to fly Tahiti to Rarotonga return on Air Rarotonga.

Furthermore, I would have a 4-day layover in Tahiti using those flights, given the flight schedules. Most Americans don’t get much vacation time, so when the schedules and prices are combined, going to Rarotonga is pretty much a non-starter.

I used to do one-week trips to Rarotonga, thanks to the LA flights – those “quick” trips are over, given the four-day required layover in Tahiti.

Simply put, better options are needed.

Patrick Chapman

(Facebook)

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With many other Pacific destinations/Pacific airlines offering great deals on flights to their countries, is it any wonder traditional Cook Islands tourists from Australia and other countries are going elsewhere. The Cooks Government and Air NZ need to get together and sort it out if they want to save the tourism industry in the Cook Islands.

Gary Tweedie

(Facebook)

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Fundamentally we need competition. Unfortunately, we are very small, very isolated, therefore expensive. We unlike Bali, etc., don’t have a manufacturing base, cheap labour, close proximity to large wealthy countries – New Zealand is not wealthy.

We need the link north to the USA to allow the world to visit us. We will be a six-month destination until that happens. If people want cheap fine that is their choice, but until you live here, run a business it is very easy to poke borax at our prices.

Air NZ know they can get away with it. Looking at their domestic fares it is the way they operate.

Small airline propped up by the taxpayers, we need competitive prices which means attracting other airlines.

Nicholas Reeves

(Facebook)

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I love flying with Air NZ. In fact, it’s the only airline I feel comfortable and safe to fly on. Although Sydney direct flights isn’t back on yet, I will wait on my chances for when it’s back on only because I don’t like transits but I’m not complaining as well. If no direct flights then I’ll wait but if it’s urgent like I must go home then I’ll be happy to go through NZ and pray that I only need to wait for an hour before boarding to go home.

Annah Marie

(Facebook)

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Sounds like a privileged first world tourist problem. If you don’t like the inconvenience don’t go. Those amazing people have lived on their islands for 1000s of years without the need of the materialism that will probably destroy their culture as it has with most indigenous cultures that get infected by it.

If you go to their homeland make sure you pay them the same price you would pay for everything in your own country. Anything less is colonialist exploitation.

Stuart Forbes

(Facebook)