Representatives of Nauru Airlines (Nauru) have met with government officials in Guam and the Marshall Islands to discuss boosting flights in the region.
Nauru's Deputy Minister for Nauru Airlines Maverick Eoe, the carrier's chairman, Geoff Bowmaker, and Commercial Manager James Blake met with Marshallese government representatives, including President Hilda Heine, in late June, to discuss "further services that the airline can offer in connecting Micronesia," including a link between Majuro and Honolulu.
The trio also travelled to Guam, where they met with Governor Lourdes Leon Guerrero, Lieutenant Governor Joshua Tenorio, and officials from the A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority to talk about a potential air service by Nauru Airlines to Guam, including from Brisbane International.
“Although we are still in the very early stages of discussion, the Governor and I believe that these are very important steps to see the viability of another airline like Nauru Airlines flying into Guam," said Tenorio. "A route linking Australia to Guam would help bolster our tourism industry and add another tourism market to our current visitor profile."
"We have been talking to the Marshall Islands government for more than a year on how we may work together to improve business opportunities in the region. Improved connections improve business opportunities," Nauru Airlines CEO Brett Gebers told ch-aviation. "Like most airlines, Nauru Airlines continually assesses possibilities based on the dynamics of travel patterns and market demand. It’s fundamental practice to allow us to make considered decisions within our overall network strategy plans, so evaluation is ongoing.”
Nauru Airlines already links many islands in the region via its scheduled Island Hopper service, which originates in Brisbane and travels to Nauru, Tarawa, Majuro, Pohnpei, and Koror. The airline also recently began direct flights between Brisbane and Palau, the only operator doing so. Nauru Airlines presently does not fly to Guam International on a scheduled basis. However, last year it successfully secured a foreign air carrier permit from the US Department of Transportation, allowing it to operate scheduled passenger and cargo flights between Nauru and Guam International, Nauru and Honolulu via intermediary points, and giving it the right to operate charter services between Nauru and any point or points in the United States.
