Real Tonga CEO Tēvita Palu is working to restore his airline this year.
Speaking to Kaniva News, Palu said he was applying for a license from the government.
Real Tonga ceased operating last year and most of its staff and assets were taken over by the government.
Before Real Tonga stopped trading, Palu opened the country’s first flight training school, Kingdom Flight Training at the Real Tongan Airline depot at Fua’amotu Airport.
READ MORE:
- Air Vanuatu names Tongan-born ‘Atu Fīnau as new CEO
- Fly Niu boss says he expects airline to be running services in Tonga by end of year
- Two aircrafts from China to Tonga bitterly ends Chatham Pacific Services
- Chatham Pacific: I consider I have done all that has been asked of me
- Tonga government reportedly “approved to set up national airline,” says Real Tonga CEO Tēvita Palu
- PM in talks with Real Tonga airline’s owner, but denies reports gov’t set up its own airline
- Real Tonga launches Samoa-Tonga direct flights after four-month delay
- Bird strike damages aircraft engine on Vava‘u take-off following Real Tonga workers being hit with Covid-19 layoffs
Students work towards a New Zealand License.
Palu told Kaniva News yesterday that many of the costs of the government’s new airline, including staff and two aircraft, had already been absorbed by Real Tonga.
His company spent US$600,00 repairing its Saab 340 after a birdstrike, only for the aircraft’s owner to re-assign the lease to Lulutai.
Meanwhile ‘Atu Finau, founder of one of Real Tonga’s predecessors, Fly Niu, has become CEO of Air Vanuatu.
Finau was general manager of Air Vanuatu until 2014.
Fly Niu was forced out of business when the government passed a one airline policy and gave a license to Peau Vava’u, an airline, co-owned by the Late King George Tupou V and his business partners, the Ramanlal brothers.
Finau returned to Tonga to try to revive his airline and was expecting to be operational by the end of 2019.
He also proposed operating a joint service between Tonga and Auckland.
However, nothing came of his efforts.
