The offshore arm of Australia’s Virgin Blue is adding two more islands nations to its growing South Pacific network.
Pacific Blue expected in October to add flights to Samoa and Tonga from both Australia and New Zealand. It will operate to Tonga in its own right. The Samoan flights go under the name of Polynesian Blue, a joint venture with Polynesian Air, Samoa’s flag carrier.
Pacific Blue already flies to Fiji, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands, and holds dormant rights to New Caledonia. It shelved recent plans to add Niue after concluding that services to the small island were not viable.
Tonga and Samoa represent its first foray into markets that are more ethnic than leisure, although recent terrorist attacks in Bali may divert more Australian and New Zealand tourists to the Pacific islands.
Source: Airline Business
