LULUTAI AIRLINES: Grounded over safety concerns, means travel chaos in Tonga

Tonga’s only domestic airline, Lulutai, has been grounded in the light of serious safety violations. The grounding leaves dozens of tourists and locals stranded during the country’s peak tourism season. Announced by the Civil Aviation Division on Saturday, the suspension has significantly impacted the tourism sector, prompting widespread outrage among operators and passengers.

The suspension

Starting on July 22, the suspension followed an inspection that revealed non-compliance in key areas. These included facilities, personnel, and equipment maintenance. The Civil Aviation Division’s Director, Vinolia Fifitasalesi, explained that Lulutai had failed to meet Civil Aviation standards, which govern the safety of hangars, equipment, and staff training.

Unfortunately, the timing of the grounding could not be worse for the tourism-dependent nation. The peak travel season is currently in full swing. That means many tourists are now stranded across various islands. They face increased travel costs as well as uncertainty.

The ABC in its Pacific Beat audio program reports that Lisa Harrington, a tourist from New Zealand, found herself stuck in the small northern island of Hapai, where her vacation plans quickly turned into an ordeal.

“We were due to fly out tomorrow, but we learnt yesterday morning that the airline wasn’t running. We’re now forced to take a ferry, which will take around 10 to 12 hours. It’s not the experience we were hoping for, and the costs of changing our international flights and extra accommodation have been huge.”

The unexpected change has cost Harrington and her partner nearly $3,000. That includes the cost of flight changes, accommodation, and compensation for lost work time.

A rare decision

The grounding of Lulutai is a rare decision. The airline had received prior warnings about the issues that led to the suspension. The airline’s suspensions will remain in place until July 27. It could be lifted earlier if all non-compliance issues are addressed.

Given the small size of the tourist operator community in Tonga, some feel the non-compliance issues could have been avoided before it escalated to the suspension of the airline.

Tourists express frustration

Tourists are naturally feeling frustrated. There appears to have been a lack of communication from the airline and the government. A group of German travellers has vowed never to return to Tonga. This is not good public relations for the island nation.

This is not an isolated incident. Last year, the airline grounded its main aircraft after it collided with a cement block on the runway. Reports earlier this year raised concerns about Lulutai’s financial stability, suggesting the airline may be on the verge of collapse.

Lulutai has yet to make a statement regarding the safety violations, except to cite ‘unforeseen circumstances’ for the flight cancellations in a social media post.

As Tonga’s only domestic carrier, the suspension of Lulutai has left a significant hole in Tonga’s transport network.

2PAXfly Takeout

With the airline grounded until at least July 27, and no clear path to resolution outlined, the future of domestic air travel in Tonga is uncertain.

This incident has shaken trust in Tonga’s aviation system, and it’s unclear how or when it will be resolved.

Tonga is on my list of destinations to visit. Inconvenient departure times and sparse flights, not to mention expensive fares, have kept it low on my list of priorities. This news of a failing local airline does not move it up my list.

The best outcome would be a quick resolution. Then the tourism industry can regain the confidence of the travel community