The leased A320 will operate between Honiara and Brisbane four times a week and there are also plans to utilise the aircraft to commence flights to PNG and Fiji potentially via Vanuatu.
The aircraft, leased from Sky Leasing in Tolluca, Mexico, is in Melbourne now undergoing a livery paint job as well as officially registering and certifying the aircraft is airworthy to fly.
Last Tuesday, the aircraft flew from Tuscon in Arizona where it was kept in storage for about 18 months, to Honolulu, then on to Nadi, Fiji, for an overnight.
It flew to Melbourne a day later to undergo a livery change plus other final checks and registration before it can start flying for Solomon Airlines.
A spokesperson for the airline said: “Solomon Airlines has had the services of an ex Qantas senior engineering manager assist in overseeing the work scopes in Tolluca and has advised Solomon Airlines that the aircraft is in a very good shape, and had no hesitation in recommending the acceptance of the delivery after more than months in the hangar there under a maintenance organisation called InterJet.”
The A320 is expected to start flying under the Solomon Airlines banner sometime in July subject to all certification and training processes being approved.
The aircraft carry 20 business class and 120 economy class passengers. It will be fully controlled by Solomon Airlines’ pilots and cabin crew and will
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