Solomon Airlines stable for now.

I had to drive a firend to Brisbane to catch a plane home to Honiara on Saturday. I spoke to Julie, who has been Solomon Airlines Brisbane agent for years, while my friend was checking in. She said the schedule is now settled, and reliable, after a few hiccups.
They are now using a chartered 737 4 times a week, including Satruday and Sunday (which is good for my plans of taking groups in Australian school holidays) - while the "new" Embraer was flying, there were no Saturday flights Brisbane to Honiara, which I found a nuisance.

Good aircraft the 737, but which variant? Size does matter in this case, and anything less than a -300 may mean baggage arriving later than the passenger. Is this the same Julie that once worked for Air Nauru?

Whatever version of the 737, it is MUCH bigger than the Embraer, and can use the Brisbane airbridge, which the Embraer couldn't.
I went over in July on the Embraer, and had to descend 4 flights of stairs at Brisbane, which is one of several incidents wwhich prompted me to write to the Solomon Star about Solomon Airlines inefficiency. (The other problems were related to internal travel)
I returned in August on the 737, and had 3 seats and loads of legroom to myself (though not all seats have that much, and most planes are fuller).
The plane belongs to the same Australian charter company that charters to Airlines PNG.

Thanks Ozziegiraffe. Sounds like the Ozjet 200 series 737. They also do the PNG flights. Air Nauru used this type for many years as well. Bit outdated and the Ozjet configuration is/was based on business class. Be interesting to see how long it lasts though. Bit of a 'gas guzzler' the 200 is compared to newer models that roam around the Pacific these days.

Current arrangements are only timetabled until 26 October this year (but the usually change about that time of year anyhow.)

There was a thing about this in the Australian last Friday or so - Virgin Blue have put in an application to cover flights to the Solomons, the company that owns the airplane used by Solomon Air isn't doing it for them any more because they're not being paid, but may make their own application to fly in their own right. This suggests that the "stability" is up for grabs!

The current arrangements at Sol Air are daily charters of any aircraft available thus the reason I flew over Our Air and flew back Norfolk Air. Currently Sol Air is trying to terminate the lease with Sky Air World for the Embraer for not meeting their contract of 74 passengers and luggage per flight. For various technical reasons the Embraer was never going to be able to deliver what was promised and signed to on the contract.
I know the new financial controller that has just been appointed and he has arrived with a "kick heads and take no names" attitude to fixing Sol Airs' problems. He is the one that bailed Sol Air out a few years ago when they looked like going down the drain. The CEO has been told to get his butt out of the King Solomon Hotel where he's been living and move into one of Sol Airs houses and to return his rental car and use one of the companies Hi-luxes, an immediate saving of about $SBD1,400 a day. The finance fella is also the new secretary of the board so he can keep an eye and a rein on decisions they may make.
So rest assured travel problems with Sol Air are being sorted out as quickly as possible and very ruthlessly to, quite a few of the old management may soon be looking for new jobs. The only sad part of the current arrangements is that the charter aircraft come complete with crews so most of the Sol Air flight and cabin crews are on indefinite unpaid standown.

Thanks bhain, for the update. I hope Solair can get their act together. I am not at all sure about Skyairworld - they are a very new company, and may not be up to it yet. In a way, I would welcome Virgin Blue, as it should improve tourism opportunities, provided Solair is still able to sustain internal flights. As they are flying to several other Pacific countries, Virgin might be able also, for example to do Fiji - Vanuatu - Si etc.
However, my best solution would be for the Pacific airlines, eg Solomon Airlines, Air Vanuatu, Air Pacific etc, to codeshare, and work together, instead of against each other.

OzzieG your wish looks like being answered, solomontimesonline announced today that Pacific Blue are entering into a wet lease agreement to start flights on the Brisbane-Honiara run. A five year deal is what they are looking for and starting off with 2 flights per week with a 737-300 and upping the number of flights over the life of the agreement and up grading to a 737-800.
Bill H

It's all here

Solomon Times indicates that SkyAirWorld is out of favour.

Pacific Blue's 2 flights is not enough for the current market - there have been at least 3 for a number of years, mostly full, so there is space for someone else.

Thanks to all you people. Happy to know that it was not me alone who had trouble booking tickets with Solomon Airlines. Can you help on why I cannot book non stop flights Brisbane-Honiara-Brisbane?

The only flights from Brisbane to Honiara and back are non-stop. There are 2 airlines currently doing that route, Skyairworld and Solomon Airlines. This week, Skyairworld has cut back on the number of its flights.
However, I never book Solomon Airlines online, always through a travel agent.