"Real Tonga" the new domestic airline is ready for take off!

Tonga has a new domestic airline called Real Tonga. It is set to begin services on 4th March. Here is the latest from their website www.realtonga.to. Fins 'n' Flukes, diving and whale watching in Ha'apai are very grateful that travelers should now experience minimal disruption to their travel plans for the 2013 whale watching season in Ha'apai.

REAL Tonga

Real Tonga is a Tongan owned and managed domestic airline established with the purpose of serving the people of Tonga and its visitors. It is pleased to inform the general public, that it has now secured the lease of two (2) 17-seater Y-12 aircraft, for the commencement of its domestic air operations by the 4th March 2013.

The flight schedule is to be published on its website: www.realtonga.to by the 28th January 2013. Bookings will be made online or by contacting 23777. Immediately, recruitment and selection of personnel including management, pilots, engineers, and ground and administration staff will commence. This will include advertisements in the local and regional media.

Real Tonga has available to it a 9-seater BN2 Islander, a 19-seater DHC6 Twin Otters and a 68-seater ATR72-500 aircraft. These will be introduced in accordance with passenger demand and season. However, initially the two (2) Y-12 aircraft will commence the operation.

Real Tonga is committed to ensuring that domestic air transport in our Kingdom is not disrupted, and that it has available adequate seat capacity to cope accordingly.

Our goal is to provide the travelling public with an airline that has safety as its main priority and is customer focused.

For more information, please contact:

Mr. Tevita Palu
Chief Executive Officer
REAL – Tonga / Palu Aviation Services Ltd
Ph +676 23777
Email: join@realtonga.to

Sorry but it sounds a bit dodgy, we will probably cancel our Haapai holiday booked for May.

Looks like the flight schedule favors Vava'u over Ha'api coming from NZ. We have decided to go ahead but now have to stay the first and last days in Tongatapu to suit our International flights.
I notice Real Tonga prices are actually more expensive than Chathams Pacific were.

It definitely favors Vava'u as that is generally the only route the airlies make money on. I feel sorry for anyone traveling either to the Nua's or Eua as these are going to be the most affected.
Agreed it does sound very dodgy, me and my family have relatives in Tongatapu and have been told that the planes supposedly available from Air Vanuatu is not true, the ATR and twin otters are being used in Vanuatu. We will certainly not be parting with our money untill we see an actual aircraft turn up when Air Chathams leaves. I feel sorry for my friends and family back in Tonga.

"I notice Real Tonga prices are actually more expensive than Chathams Pacific were."

Yes and that's just the beginning-someone saw that Chathams were actually making a go of running an airline so they decided to muscle them out and take over the business-it's the Tongan Way.

"it does sound very dodgy, me and my family have relatives in Tongatapu and have been told that the planes supposedly available from Air Vanuatu is not true..."

The lies have only just started...

Does Real Tonga have any airplanes flying yet?

We have now cancelled our holiday at Sandy Beach Resort Foa and will stay at Heilala Resort on Tongatapu instead.
We saw the Chathams Pacific DC3 in Christchurch yesterday.