LEITHEN FRANCIS / SINGAPORE
Forum confident of deal, but some members believe current arrangements are enough
Some Pacific island nations are working to create a single aviation market in the area under a new Pacific Islands' Air Services Agreement (PIASA) that could come into effect next year.
At least six of the 16 member countries of the Pacific Islands'Forum Secretariat, an international government organisation, need to ratify the three-phased PIASA for it to start.
PIASA's early adopters are the Cook Islands, Nauru, Tonga and Vanuatu. These countries signed the deal at the Pacific Forum meeting held in Auckland, New Zealand, on 16 August and the secretariat is confident of getting the six needed.
"It is highly likely that the minimum or more will have signed by the end of the year," says the secretariat. "We have been told by three countries that they intend to join as soon as possible and are just waitingÉfor internal requirements to be met."
While the Forum Secretariat appears confident, some member countries are publicly opposed to joining PIASA.
Fiji refuses to sign as it "believes the existing range of bilateral agreements is wide ranging and satisfies the needs of Fiji and its airlines [Air Pacific]," says Fiji CAA director civil aviation Karam Chandra.
Niue's deputy prime minister Toke Talagi says his country is opposed "because we have an exclusive arrangement with Polynesian Airlines".
The Samoan carrier secured a five-year deal last October, making it the only carrier permitted to operate scheduled passenger services from Auckland to Niue.
Assuming six countries join, then the freedoms under PIASA will be phased in. The first phase - which begins six months after the sixth nation ratifies the agreement - will see signatory countries with no national airlines granting each other rights up to and including sixth freedom.
Six months later all signatory countries - except Australia and New Zealand - will grant the six freedoms to each other. Thirty months after the deal comes into force, Australia and New Zealand will be party to the agreement.
Source: Flight International
