Hundreds of passengers, including 73 New Zealanders, have found themselves stranded in Vanuatu as Air Vanuatu, the national flag carrier, has grounded its sole Boeing (NYSE:BA) 737 aircraft for unscheduled technical work. The aircraft, which is currently located in Brisbane, is awaiting a much-needed spare part to resume its services. The airline confirmed on Wednesday that the disruption will last until mid-next week.
In a statement released on its website, Air Vanuatu acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the disruption and emphasized the importance of passenger safety and operational integrity. "The airline will resume flights when all required engineering works and checks are completed... Once the work is completed, they are confident these ongoing disruptions will be minimized," the statement read.
Jonas George, commercial manager of the New Zealand arm of Air Vanuatu, confirmed to Stuff on Wednesday that the mechanical part required for its Boeing 737 aircraft had been sourced. The airline is working to transport it to Brisbane "as quickly as possible". In the meantime, Nauru Airlines has been pulled in to help keep flight paths open.
George also assured that Air Vanuatu is assisting stranded travelers with accommodation and meals and keeping the service desk at Port Vila airport staffed to answer queries. A full refund policy remains in place for affected travelers who can contact their travel agent or the customer service team to organize a refund or rebook.
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