Solomon Airlines describes Brisbane-Munda route as economically ‘unsustainable’ due to low passenger rate, Tourism Solomons blames situation on cancellation of diving activities, MCC threatens investment withdrawal
THE Solomon Airlines direct flight from Brisbane to Munda every Saturday is ‘unsustainable’ due to the low number of passengers boarding the flight since the 10-month trial service started.
This was revealed by the Solomon Airlines Marketing Manager (Acting) Jenny Lobo at the Tourism in Focus 2024 Summit in Honiara on Tuesday.
Ms Lobo when presenting the national airlines’ strategic plans for this year, which includes the expansion of its international flight services through codeshare and interline arrangements, touched on the economic unsustainability of the Brisbane-Munda route.
“So, we have ten months to do our trial on this route. It is currently running and we have a total of up to 10 to 15 passengers every Saturday.
“Just imagine flying our airbus from Brisbane to Munda only to drop off 10 to 15 passengers.
“That’s the reality – That’s what has been happening over the past Saturdays after we launched our direct service to Munda out of Brisbane.
Ms Lobo said in order to make this route sustainable, Solomon Airlines needs to increase the number of passengers from 10 to at least half of the flight’s maximum passenger carrying capacity or even to 100.
“If we see that it does not improve, then we will have to amend it,” Ms Lobo added.
The Brisbane-Munda route is served by airbus by H4SAL, the only airbus in Solomon Islands fleet at the moment, which has a total of 150 passenger seat capacity. The other airbus has been leased to Air Vanuatu.
According to Tourism Solomons Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dagnal Dereveke, one of the factors for the low international passenger trend is the cancellation of diving activities in Munda.
He said diving activities used to attract a lot of people from abroad to Munda.
Mr Dereveke added that tourism activities can play an important role in bringing more visitors into the country but the county’s tourism industry is still recovering from the impacts of the global pandemic COVID-19.
Solomon Airlines, Tourism Solomons, Ministry of Culture and Tourism (MCT) have taken steps to reinvigorate the national tourism industry and are working alongside stakeholders such as Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Development Bank of Solomon Islands (DBSI), Strongim Business and the Solomon Islands National University’s (SINU’s) School of Tourism who play various important roles in supporting the country’s tourism sector.
The Tourism in Focus 2024 Summit underlines the significant roles each of these tourism stakeholders can play in addressing the ailing tourism industry.
According to the Resident Threshold Director of MCC in Solomon Islands, Charles Jakosa of MCC, MCC will only be investing in existing tourism operations that they are certain will thrive.
He told the summit that if the country continues to receive a low number of tourists and the tourism industry does not improve, then MCC Threshold will withdraw its funding to the tourism sector.
By IAN LADDS OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
