Ongoing uncertainty in New Caledonia has prompted Air New Zealand to stop flights from Auckland to Noumea from today. The airline will stop the route today and not resume until September 28 according to Air New Zealand general manager short-haul, Jeremy O’Brien. O’Brien said the continued closure of Noumea’s airport and uncertainty meant it was too challenging for the airline to continue operations in the short-term.
While this would be disappointing, O’Brien said the decision had been made after much deliberation. “We understand that this will be disappointing for customers who have travel plans to and from Noumea and we apologise for the disruption this causes,” he said, adding the decision was not “taken lightly”. The airline was committed to resuming the service from September 28 and O’Brien thanked customers in advance for patience and understanding.
What is happening in New Caledonia? On May 13, the capital city of Noumea began experiencing large-scale civil unrest, which resulted in several deaths and thousands of injuries. The conflict followed a law approved in Paris that would allow more French citizens to vote in New Caledonia elections, which could weaken the indigenous people’s political influence. In response, thousands of Indigenous Kanak pro-independence protesters began rioting in Noumea, resulting in mass lootings, fires and armed fighting.
What will happen to Air NZ passengers? Travellers who have already booked flights to Noumea with Ai.
