Air Vanuatu expands aircraft servicing amid global aviation parts shortages

Saturday, March 9, 2024

Air Vanuatu has provided additional information regarding the current status of its international flights and Boeing aircraft service. Despite ongoing efforts, the airline faces challenges as it operates over 70% of its scheduled international flights. The sole Boeing 737 aircraft is still awaiting parts, while one of the contracted Solomon Airlines A320s also requires engineering works.

Air Vanuatu management emphasizes two key priorities: sourcing necessary parts from distant locations such as Europe, Asia, and America to expedite the return of their aircraft to service, and maintaining operational schedules by predominantly utilizing partner aircraft for international flights and upholding domestic schedules with their existing fleet.

The shortage of aircraft parts is a prevalent issue affecting airlines globally, posing significant concerns for the industry. On February 23, 2024, Reuters, the global news agency, reported extensively on the impact 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 elaborates on its decision to engage AVCRO, a leading engineering company based in Melbourne, emphasizing the critical importance of maintaining aircraft safety and confidence. However, logistical challenges arise due to the aircraft’s location in Australia, complicating the transportation of parts to and from the site. The repair process, inherently iterative, often leads to additional parts requirements. Moreover, Air Vanuatu faces competition from larger airlines with faster parts procurement capabilities.

Being a smaller airline, Air Vanuatu leases Boeing 737 aircraft and assures transparent collaboration with the aircraft owner or lessor regarding ongoing servicing. The current expectation is for the aircraft to remain in Melbourne until sometime in April. Additionally, unexpected engineering requirements for Solomon Airways’ A320 aircraft, which previously operated Air Vanuatu flights, necessitate servicing in Australia.

During this period, Air Vanuatu operates flights using additional Solomon Airways aircraft and a leased Boeing 737 from Nauru Airlines. Despite recognizing the suboptimal nature of these changes, Air Vanuatu endeavors to minimize industry impacts. Regular updates on affected flight schedules are available on the airline’s website, with customer service staff reaching out to affected passengers to offer alternative travel options.

Air Vanuatu commits to keeping stakeholders informed as the situation progresses, prioritizing efforts to mitigate disruptions to operations.

« Back to Page