Air Calédonie (TY, Nouméa Magenta) will begin international flights on October 3, 2024, when it starts twice-weekly roundtrips between Nouméa La Tontouta and Port Vila using an ATR72-600. The flights will operate under codeshare arrangements with Aircalin (SB, Nouméa La Tontouta), deepening the relationship between the two struggling state-owned carriers.
“We have been working on this new international route for several months," said Air Calédonie CEO Daniel Houmbouy. "This is a major step for the airline, to demonstrate our commitment to ensuring strong connections not only within the New Caledonia islands but also within the Pacific region."
ch-aviation has reported on the difficulties Air Calédonie and Aircalin have faced, exacerbated this year by ongoing civil unrest in and around Nouméa that resulted in airport closures and flight cancellations. Concurrently, inbound passenger numbers to the tourism-dependent country have plummeted. In July, Aircalin CEO Georges Selefen said monthly revenue had more than halved, with the downturn in demand resulting in a raft of flight reductions and two route cancellations.
Also in July, Air Calédonie announced a restructuring that would see its workforce cut by a third, one of its four ATR72-600s sent to another operator, some debt payments deferred, and increased cooperation with Aircalin. The domestic carrier called the moves "emergency measures [which] are necessary to allow the survival of the airline and to be able to envision a future."
Houmbouy says the codesharing and joint marketing of the ATR flights to Vanuatu's capital signify the increasing cooperation between Air Calédonie and Aircalin, as well as being a strategic decision in both carriers' best interests.
"In these challenging times, this route represents a vital opportunity to maintain jobs and sustain the level of activity necessary for the airline’s durability," he said. "The involvement of the teams in this project reflects our determination to expand towards new opportunities, and this is just the first step in our essential transformation plan towards the future.”
