GREAT news for travellers in the South Pacific is that a new direct air route between Fiji and Vava'u in Tonga will commence in August 2007. This was announced on Radio Tonga, following the exciting Pacnews report that Airlines Tonga had been presented with their Air Operating Certificate. The airline has satisfied stringent safety requirements conducted by the New Zealand Aviation Authority.

After a trial flight some time in August, the airline will then operate two weekly flights from Vava'u, with a plan to introduce competitive and affordable ticketing.

The Vava'u islands are in the north of Tonga and are popular with the international sailing fraternity, as well as for tourists looking for game fishing, resort destinations, and whale watching.

Commencing 05 August 2007, Air Vanuatu are operating DIRECT services to Santo, leaving from Brisbane and Sydney. This is great news for Australians wishing to holiday in Vanuatu's popular Santo island and saves having to transit in the capital Port Vila.

Santo is also a great scuba diving destination, so the famous dive sites are now even closer for Australian divers to enjoy.

Air Pacific will commence joint flights with Canada’s Harmony Airways between Nadi and Vancouver via Honolulu from 30 March, under a code share arrangement, to cater for the growing market between the Pacific and Canada. Air Pacific will service the Nadi-Honolulu route while Harmony takes the Honolulu-Vancouver way. Harmony Airways will make two trips on the service per week, on Friday and Sunday, using Boeing 757 aircraft.

Pacific Sun, Fiji’s regional airline, has unveiled its new daily domestic service schedule immediately effective February. Travellers can fly to Kadavu, Labasa, Mana Island, Nadi, Plantation Island, Suva, Savusavu and Taveuni as part of the airline’s new schedule.

Air New Zealand has announced that it will fly weekly non-stop between Rarotonga and Los Angeles. Air New Zealand will also code share the Papeete-Los Angeles route with Air Tahiti Nui.