Real Tonga Airlines (Tongatapu) has taken delivery of its first of two Jetstream 32s on damp lease from Australia's FlyPelican (FP, Newcastle Williamtown) with the turboprop having already been deployed into revenue service on flights between Tongatapu and the islands of Ha'apai and Vava'u.
The Tongan carrier also took delivery of its first Y12E from Harbin in China which, according to Radio New Zealand, had been delayed in Papua New Guinea.
The aircraft is China's second gift to the Pacific island nation following a controversial MA-60 whose use on commercial services resulted in New Zealand suspending developmental aid. In anticipation of the aircraft's arrival, Real Tonga had leased another Y12, YJ-AV5 (cn 29), from Air Vanuatu (NF, Port Vila).
”The Y12 too is part of the airlines’ longer term fleet plans and the aircraft that is being gifted to the Government of Tonga will replace the currently leased Y12 from Air Vanuatu,” Real Tonga’s Chief Executive, Tevita Palu, told Tonga Daily News.
The Y12 will be christened by Tonga's King Tupou IV later this week following which it will ferry him to Niuafo'ou and Niuatoputapu to officiate the 2014 Agricultural Shows there.
