By leone
cabenatabua
SODELPA on North move
During the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) convention in Suva a delegation from Vanua Levu indicated that the party is going to do well there ahead of the upcoming general elections.
Dickie Bird was yesterday told SODELPA executives are now regularly meeting all the Turaga Ni Yavusa and Tikina in Cakaudrove, Bua and Macuata as they map the way forward.
Suva-Sydney boost
Good news for those who travel to Australia, with national airline Fiji Airways confirming special introductory fares for its new twice weekly flights linking Suva and Sydney. They start in May.
The airline is going to use its Boeing 737-700 aircraft to service the route. It is already linking Suva and Auckland twice a week. Nausori International Airport is going to be busier then ever.
All set to launch?
Now another date. After many deferments American Samoa-based Inter Island Airways is now aiming for an April launch of its Fijian offshoot.
The airline plans to use fast turboprops to provide competition to local airlines Pacific Sun and Northern Air on domestic routes and Fiji Airways regionally.
Flying carefully
Still on aviation, Dickie Bird was told that Fiji Airways boss Stefan Pichler is right to be cautious about the expression of interest received from the Tongan Government. This is for the airline to resume flights to the northern Tongan islands of Vava’u and perhaps operate domestically.
Dickie Bird said Mr Pichler is no doubt aware how the now defunct Air Fiji struggled when it expanded into such Tongan services.
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