Why couldn't Nauru Airlines become another Alliance ?

[ozfflyer]

when you think about it, there must be some decent 737 classics around ... 733, 734, 735, 736 if not too tired, which would be cheap to lease. Presume a 735/736 wouldn't require as long a runway as 734s ?

Alliance seems to be doing really well financially.

Do Fokker 70/100 require as long a runway as 737s ?

 

[docjames]

They currently have a few issues preventing them running well.....

Nauru Airlines board sacked by govt amid review

Nauru's government has sacked the board of Nauru Airlines as it reviews the national carrier.

www.rnz.co.nz

 

[dajop]

For that matter why couldn't Rex come another Alliance? Or Fly Corporate? Or Tonga Airways? Or Sharp Airlines? Or Tiger?

Each has their own strategic objectives.

 

[ozfflyer]

They currently have a few issues preventing them running well.....

Nauru Airlines board sacked by govt amid review

Nauru's government has sacked the board of Nauru Airlines as it reviews the national carrier.

www.rnz.co.nz

eyp big clean out of dead wood apparently, but if they were run efficiently instead of just an airline for refugees, paid for by govt, could do anything

 

[ozfflyer]

For that matter why couldn't Rex come another Alliance? Or Fly Corporate? Or Tonga Airways? Or Sharp Airlines? Or Tiger?

Each has their own strategic objectives.

Nauru's current AOC cover 733s/734s apparently, so they can do anything any Australian or NZ airline can do, but would need to keep it simple. Rex/Fly corporate are basically Saab 340 operators. Tongan ? Sharp - small stuff ? Tiger is trying to be a Jetstar but doesn't seem to be succeeding.

If Nauru had enough aircraft to be more reliable, they could do some FIFO to places where a 737 could land & do RPT in Australia or NZ, afaik without any restrictions whatsoever.

The Alliance model that seems to work, seems to be, get old aircraft, with almost zero acquisition costs & fly them only when profitable.

IIRC Allegiant (USA) got a heap of mad dogs for something like a million dollars each & didn't fly much on Tuesdays, the quietest day of the week & when some got too old & required major checks, that just used them for parts, a bit like what Alliance seems to do with their F70/F100s.

 

[dajop]

Nauru's current AOC cover 733s/734s apparently, so they can do anything any Australian or NZ airline can do, but would need to keep it simple.

Yes but isn't their strategy about servicing Nauru and the central pacific? It's a branch of the Nauru government to keep Nauru connected to the world.

Sure they could invest in trying to emulate Alliance, but it would cost money. Wouldn't it be better just to buy shares in Alliance instead if that's what the Nauru government wanted to do?

 

[ozfflyer]

Yes but isn't their strategy about servicing Nauru and the central pacific? It's a branch of the Nauru government to keep Nauru connected to the world.

Sure they could invest in trying to emulate, but it would cost money. Wouldn't it be better just to buy shares in Alliance instead if that's what the Nauru government wanted to do?

Alliance started from remnants of Flight west with very few aircraft from memory. Partly due to their route network & inefficiency, Nauru air don't make a lot of money.

There must be routes in OZ/NZ or short haul, where they could make money, with a fleet of 737s, that if necessary could subsidise the routes they currently fly.

They could start flying any domestic routes in OZ/NZ tomorrow.

By keeping staff levels low, they could surely keep costs down & compete especially for FIFO.

Sounds like there's going to be a glut of pilots soon. Surely a pilot can be employed in Nauru on lower than OZ/NZ wages, but be based in BNE or wherever ?

Know quite a few CX pilots are based in BNE.

Imagine it would be an easier route for pilots to get a job with big boys, flying 737 classics around, ie. not as big a jump as from say a turboprop jockey.

Detention centre on Nauru won't last forever. Currently Nauru can charge OZ govt whatever they want to fly to INU. (fed govt pays contractors on Nauru to charter a 737, up to 3 times a week BNE/INU/BNE). ON are probably the only airline that will get the rights to fly BNE/INU nonstop, right now (why would they let anyone else get on this gravy train ?)

So ON need to plan ahead & need to get efficient, rather than just operate on a cost plus basis.

 

[ozfflyer]

Nauru Airlines(ON) is not strictly an Australian airline, but does have an OZ AOC & OZ registered aircraft, so presume it can do any OZ or NZ domestic or international flying with few if any restrictions.

Looked them up & apparently they have 5 x 737-300s. 1 is a freighter. 2, or is it 3 are ex NZ.

1 flies exclusively for Air Vanuatu (NF) BNE/SON & VLI/AKL, BNE, NAN until NF get their new A220-300s (2 I believe)

1 flies for ON to Nauru & beyond & it seems 2 sit around waiting for govt & other charters.

Does anyone know what else they do ?

 

[Ade]

Never heard of Nauru Airlines But good to know this new piece of information

 

[henrus]

Nauru Airlines(ON) is not strictly an Australian airline, but does have an OZ AOC & OZ registered aircraft, so presume it can do any OZ or NZ domestic or international flying with few if any restrictions.

With that title I thought this was going to be a post going on about VA

You're not wrong about the fleet. 3 of their 737-300's came from NZ with the other ex Garuda/Shenzen. The freighter mainly operates to/from Brisbane and Nauru (often via Honiara when refuelling is required) but also appears in Micronesia and Far north QLD when needed.

The airline has in the past done Aus Gov prisoner charter flights, refugee movement flights, sporting teams (Cowboys have used them a few times). Because of this some of their flights don't appear on flight tracker websites (eg they currently don't show on Flightaware) and a few of their flights have been met with protestors (mainly the refugee flights).

They've also operated many scheduled flights for other airlines including Air Vanuatu, Solomon Airlines, Norfolk Air and Norfolk Island Airlines (the latter two both failing).

They've also been apart of a few never launching airlines including Pacific Wings (a proposed AU/NZ to New Caledonia) and something in the Indian ocean from Christmas Island to Singapore.

The easiest/cheapest way to get onboard one of their 737-300's is to book at flight from Brisbane or Auckland to Port Vila (sometimes Sydney) which are sold through Air Vanuatu. Otherwise they run a Brisbane to Nauru flight around 3 times per week and a milk run through the pacific twice per week but prices on all of these Air Nauru flights are very expensive... for the 4.5 hour flight you're looking at a minimum ticket of $1300 round trip (and thats the cheapest non flexible ticket, a flexible is around $3400 return).

 

[drron]

They used to do flights around Micronesia from Nauru.I met their CFO on a cruise and had a couple of long chats with him.He lived in Brisbane then.
On their website they still fly to NAN,Tarawa and Majuro so a little less than then.
Tarawa is on my bucket list.