New Zealand carrier concerned over Vanuatu runway safety

New Zealand's national carrier said on Friday that it will only resume services to Vanuatu once safety concerns over the Pacific island nation's main airstrip have been permanently resolved.

Air New Zealand, which suspended services to Port Vila in January, has written to the director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vanuatu setting out the conditions for its return.

The airline said the letter made clear it would only consider resuming services once a permanent solution for the runway at Bauerfield airfield had been fully funded, designed to a satisfactory standard and contracted to a competent contractor.

Air New Zealand general manager flight operations Stephen Hunt said while interim repairs were underway, the one-year lifespan of the repairs did not provide sufficient operational certainty to build a sustainable service on.

"We continue to monitor the situation in Port Vila and we're encouraged with the Vanuatu government progressing the current World Bank Pacific Aviation Investment Program in relation to Bauerfield," Hunt said in a statement.

"The decision to suspend services was not taken lightly, however, providing a safe and secure operation is paramount and non-negotiable."

The suspension of flights has been a serious blow to the tourism industry in Vanuatu, which is still recovering from the battering it received from Cyclone Pam in January last year.

Air New Zealand had been flying to Vanuatu once a week and codesharing with Air Vanuatu on its twice weekly Auckland-Vanuatu services. Endit