Northern Group Christmas Flights 2009

Rarotonga 15th April 2009

Air Rarotonga plans to provide a direct air link from the Northern Group islands of Penrhyn, Manihiki, and Pukapuka to Apia, Samoa this Christmas (2009), providing cheaper and faster access to and from New Zealand and Australia.

Flights will operate in the first week of December and again in the first week of January 2010 connecting in Apia with Air New Zealand and Polynesian Blue for onward flights to Auckland, Sydney and Brisbane.

The airline believes Cook Islanders in New Zealand and Australia will welcome the opportunity for quicker more economical access to their home islands for Christmas, while local residents in the Northern Group can take advantage of the return flights to do the same.

The airline is in the process of applying for approval of the proposed flight schedule from both the Cook Islands and Samoan Governments and expects to have this completed shortly. Pukapuka is a customs port of entry and the distance to Apia is around half that to Rarotonga. A firm schedule will be published once licensing formalities have been completed. Online bookings will be available on this web site.

Download the press release here