Air Vanuatu has apologised for stranding hundreds of customers.
The airline only has 1 international aircraft – a 737-800. The aircraft has been grounded for mechanical issues, It’s the second time the aircraft has been grounded in the last 12 months.
The aircraft has been at Brisbane Airport awaiting a mechanical part since 18 September. More than 20 flights between Australia, New Zealand and Fiji have been cancelled since Friday. The airline is “deeply sorry” and aims to resume it’s international schedule by the end of the week.
In a statement on Facebook Air Vanuatu said they had engaged “Nauru airlines to operate a number of limited services between Brisbane, Sydney, Auckland and Nadi to and from Port Vila.”
The previous grounding happened days before Christmas last year. Solomon Airlines stepped in last time to help the stranded passengers. Air Vanuatu has codeshare agreements with Qantas, Fiji Airways, Air Calin, Air Nuigini and Solomon Airlines.
The latest statement from Air Vanuatu can be found here
The updated flight schedule can be found here