MEDIA RELEASE
Update: 09 March 2024
REF: 080324
Air Vanuatu Extended Aircraft Servicing & Global Aviation Parts Shortages
Air Vanuatu has today shared further details on the situation affecting their international flights and the Boeing aircraft service. While the airline continues to operate over 70% of its current scheduled international flights, it is doing so in a challenging environment, with the airlines sole Boeing 737 aircraft still awaiting parts and one of the contracted Solomon airlines A320s now also requiring engineering works.
Air Vanuatu management confirm the airline is focusing on two major priorities; first sourcing the required parts from as far afield as Europe, Asia and America to ensure the return of their aircraft to service and secondly, continuing to operate their schedule with international flights operated mostly by partner aircraft and maintaining domestic schedules with their fleet.
Globally there are many airlines affected by parts shortages and this is a major concern for the industry. On the 23rd of February 2024, Reuters the global news agency, reported on the affect of the international airline parts shortage in a release stating “Parts shortages and delivery delays plaguing the global aviation industry are easing, but could take up to two years to resolve.. adding to the pressures clouding a post-pandemic recovery in travel demand”.
Air Vanuatu further explains that they choose to use a best-in-class engineering company in this case AVCRO based in Melbourne, because they understood that a service of this nature is critical to the safety and confidence of operating the aircraft. However, the aircraft being located in Australia means that transporting parts to and from the aircraft is time consuming and complex. They added that repairs of this nature are an iterative process where one repair can then lead to other parts sourcing requirements. There is also a competitive situation at play, where the larger airlines with bigger parts contracts are obtaining the parts quicker than Air Vanuatu can.
As is common for smaller airlines, Air Vanuatu leases the Boeing 737 aircraft. The airline spokesperson has provided assurances that they are working transparently and in partnership with the owner or lessor of the aircraft regarding the service taking place and that the lessor is fully informed and involved.
The airline stated that they are currently expecting that our aircraft will remain in Melbourne until sometime into April. They also confirmed that the Solomon Airways A320 aircraft that had been operating the Air Vanuatu flights has unexpected engineering requirements that will shortly be serviced in Australia. All airlines are affected by these situations and are working within tight operational and crewing constraints.
Until the Air Vanuatu aircraft returns, flights continue to operate using additional Solomon Airways aircrafts and a Boeing 737 that has been leased by Air Vanuatu from Nauru Airlines.
The Government owned Airline, Air Vanuatu admits that it understands that these changes are not optimal and will impact the industry. Regular updates to schedules for any affected flights are being published on the airline’s website and the contact center staff are contacting affected clients to provide alternate travel options. Air Vanuatu provides assurances that they will continue to do all they can to minimize impacts, and to keep everyone regularly informed as the situation evolves.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/supply-chain-strains-set-weigh-aviation-industry-bounce-back-2024-02-23/
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