Air Vanuatu

# New Hebrides Airways + Hebridair +=►Air Melanesiæ ►Vanair ▲Air Vanuatu

♦ Two separate, competing domestic airlines, established under the Anglo-French condominium governance of the New Hebrides, the British-backed New Hebrides Airways and the French-backed Hebridair. To eliminate unsustainable route duplication, the two airlines pool resources to form a single domestic joint venture called Air Melanesiæ in 1965. Air Melanesiæ commenced operations in 1965. On 05Sep198, following the country’s independence and renaming to Vanuatu, the government officially establishes Air Vanuatu. On 29Nov1989 the airline was renamed Vanair. In 2004, it merged with Vanuatu’s government-owned flag carrier, Air Vanuatu. Air Vanuatu was established in early 1981 and first flight was 05Sep1981, Plagued by technical faults for several months, the airline filed for insolvency on 06May2024 and ceased operations on 09May2024. Air Vanuatu appears to be looking at late 3Q2024 to exit administration, although it entered liquidation in May2024. Air Vanuatu resumed limited charter operations in late Aug2024
< Vanuatu’s national flag carrier, operating to Australia, New Zealand and points in the South Pacific. Its main base is Bauerfield International Airport, Port Vila > ♦