Despite a government deadline of September 30 to transfer ground-handling services from Air Terminal Services (Tonga) Limited (ATS) to the government’s Tonga Airports Ltd (TAL), ATS remains in control at Fua‘amotu International Airport.
The revelation follows TAL’s suspended CEO, Edgar Cocker, faces allegations of “misuse of power” and poor performance, according to the Minister of Public Enterprises, Piveni Piukala.
Minister Piukala’s scrutiny of ATS and the handling of aircraft luggage services at Fua‘amotu Airport has drawn significant media attention, particularly after he made several allegations that appeared to link the operations to the rising importation of illicit drugs into the country.
The Minister further alleged that a Sunday medivac landing request by ATS, intended for a patient evacuation, was rejected after his own investigation revealed there was no patient.
However, ATS firmly denied any wrongdoing in a press release issued at the time, describing the Minister’s accusation as “a barrage of unjustified and ill-informed attacks.”
This afternoon, ATS Director Paul Karalus told Kaniva News that the company continues to operate as normal.
“ATs continues to provide the International Ground Handling in Tonga and has not been advised of any change as yet,” Karalus said.
A Plan Rushed, A CEO Suspended
The conflict between the Minister and ATS, coupled with the suspension of Mr Cocker, has exposed what can be described as a failure in the government’s policy to renationalise the airport’s ground handling service.
Kaniva News has been reliably informed that the suspension of Cocker was connected to apparent frustration from Minister Piukala over the lack of progress in replacing ATS.
Sources indicated that some within TAL believed the handover process was initiated prematurely.
It was further suggested that the complexity of the services involved required a longer timeframe for implementation than was initially anticipated.
Air New Zealand had previously warned that a lapse in ground handling services due to the planned transfer would impact its flights to Tonga.
Given that Tonga is heading to the polls on November 20, any resolution to replace ATS is expected to become a matter for the incoming government next year.
