Real Tonga Airline

Hi folks on the ground in Tonga. I would really appreciate up-to-date info on whether 'Real Tonga' is operating one plane or two as they promised by 1 April. I'm wanting to book flights for June to join a yacht in Vava'u, but I just don't trust the airline. The internet has nothing recent, which makes me suspicious. I know Real Tonga's website lists daily flights, but are they flying?

We hope this helps, if a little late.

REAL Tonga
PRESS RELEASE
Real Tonga Airlines Update, April 17 2013.

Real Tonga is pleased to introduce additional capacity to its current operation. With the signing of a new lease agreement, Real Tonga will be providing additional services for the domestic air market effective from 22 April 2013.

Tevita Palu, Real Tonga’s Chief Executive says that he is delighted to have secured the lease of a Queenair &a BN-2 Islander aircraft as it now provides the airline with the opportunity to commence services to the two Niuas. Furthermore, the addition of these two aircraft provide much needed back up and schedule integrity. The additional aircraft also allows Real Tonga to better match capacity
to demand on specific routes, so ‘Eua will now be serviced by the Islander, freeing up more capacity on the larger Y12 to focus on services between Tongatapu and Vava’u as well as Ha’apai.
Services to the Niua’s begin with a flight from Tongatapu to Niua Toputapu on Wednesday 24 April, with Niuafo’ou to commence a week later on the first of May.

Schedule information and tickets are available on line at the Real Tonga website or at any of the Real Tonga sales offices throughout the Kingdom.

They are flying but currently keeping a very unreliable service, canceled flights if not enough passengers and not servicing the outer islands as promised Nua's ect. They have as yet not kept their promise to provide a second aircraft and are only flying one old borrowed Chinese built plane borrowed from Air Vanuatu (who by all accounts couldnt believe their luck when someone wanted to hire it) Proceed with caution.

re:#2-that's as expected-Thanks for the update.
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This article from April 18 sounds like more wishful thinking.

Tonga Airliner Offers Dedicated Flights To Remote Islands
2 new planes also slated for regular routes to ‘Eua, Vava’u

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – The most remote islands of Tonga will be serviced by weekly flights starting from next week.

Tonga’s new domestic airline Real Tonga has introduced two small aircraft dedicated to Niuafao’ou and Niuatoputapu.

The Chief Executive of Real Tonga Tevita Palu says the aircraft were leased from New Zealand carrier Air Chathams, which ceased its Chathams Pacific operations in Tonga in March.

Mr. Palu says the remote islands have not been serviced for the past six weeks, but flights to Niuatoputapu will begin on Wednesday and flights to Niuafao’ou will start the following week.

Tevita Palu says the airline’s main challenge is to prepare for the peak tourism season, which begins in June.

"We understand we don’t have the capacity at this time but we are working on that. That’s about our main challenge now, is to provide the capacity required."

Tevita Palu says the arrival of the new planes also means other routes such as ‘Eua and Vava’u can be serviced more regularly, to meet demand.

Edited by: someone who had heard all the lying bull imaginable from Tongan mediocrities.

Thanks everyone, please keep the information coming. Starting in May lots of Kiwi sailors will be shuttling to and from Vava'u to join or leave yachts. I've booked my flights for June, but will fly with heart-in-mouth. Where's the old, reliable DC3s when you need 'em?

For the record, I flew twice on Real Tonga in June: up to Vava'u in a 17-seater Y-12 leased from Air Vanuatu & flown by Tongan pilots, and back on a larger Convair leased from Air Chathams (with Kiwi pilots, Yay!!). A long delay on the latter flight was due to the fuel truck breaking down in Nuku'alofa. Now the accident-prone Chinese-built MA60 aircraft has arrived but it looks like it won't get a safety certificate. In reaction, NZ has already suspended millions of dollars in aid to Tonga.

Consumers wishing to visit the Kingdom of Tonga and it's outer island groups may choose between air or sea transport.

Despite regular schedule changes Real Tonga is doing a good job, as a business our boats are full of whale watchers and divers that all flew here safely on Real Tonga airlines. We have experienced no disruption to normal service at all.

NZ has stopped tourism aid to Tonga, big wow. In the eight years we have done business here they haven't shown us a penny anyway. The Kingdom and the Tongan people can stand independently on their own two feet. Tonga should give NZ some aid for a change!

Forget NZ aid, support Tonga, local tourism businesses, the people, the domestic airline, the reefs and of course the whales.

We welcome all tourists and home comers for the 2013 season, don't worry, be Ha'apai! Be it air or sea you can travel safely in Tonga.

Don't believe everything you read in the papers, Tonga is a very safe place to visit ;-) The scare scaremonger would have you believe otherwise but only in an effort to facilitate their own financial outcome in the end.

It is great to see Tonga in the headlines once again, all publicity is good publicity as they say. And Tonga is just awesome.

Flick us an email and we'll fill you in.

Malo aupito pe lahi ngaue ki he Real Tonga!