Air Kiribati


Air Kiribati is the flag carrier of the Republic of Kiribati and operates scheduled passenger services to 20 atolls spread over an area of 3.5m sq km.
It is headquartered at Bonriki International Airport on the island of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands. The airline operates an international service from Tarawa to Tuvalu. Regional charter flights, medical evacuation and search and rescue services are also undertaken by the airline.

History

Past and Present CEO's

Domestic competition

Until 2008, it was the only airline to offer flights domestically.
In January 2009, a new Kiribati based airline was established, Coral Sun Airways, with charter flights within the Gilbert Islands. Coral Sun Airways are also the only Kiribati-registered airline to operate between Gilbert Islands and Line Islands since Air Kiribati stopped using their ATR-72.

Timeline of Significant events

Corporate affairs

Board

Air Kiribati is governed by a Board which directly reports to Hon. Willie TOKATAAKE the Minister for Information, Communication, Transport and Tourism Development.
Air Kiribati is 100% owned by the Government of Kiribati.

CEO

In February 2020 Captain Philip Statham became CEO .

Regulatory Oversight

The Civil Aviation Authority of Kiribati known as a Civil Aviation Division is one of the Governmental divisions under the Ministry of Information, Communications, Transport and Tourism Development and is responsible for all Aviation activities in the country.The primary aviation legislation used are:
  1. Aircraft Security Act 1990
  2. Civil Aviation Act 2004
The actual regulations used are primarily from New Zealand, the NZCAR's.

Destinations

Domestic destinations

Island groupAtollIATAICAOAirport Name
Gilbert IslandsAbaiangNGABABFAbaiang Atoll Airport
Gilbert IslandsAbemamaNGTBAEAAbemama Atoll Airport
Gilbert IslandsAranukaAAKNGUKAranuka Airport
Gilbert IslandsAroraeAISNGTRArorae Island Airport
Gilbert IslandsBeru IslandBEZNGBRBeru Island Airport
Gilbert IslandsButaritariBBGNGTUButaritari Atoll Airport
Gilbert IslandsKuriaKUCNGKTKuria Airport
Gilbert IslandsMaianaMNKNGMAMaiana Airport
Gilbert IslandsMakinMTKNGMNMakin Airport
Gilbert IslandsMarakeiMZKNGMKMarakei Airport
Gilbert IslandsNikunauNIGNGNUNikunau Airport
Gilbert IslandsNonoutiNONNGTONonouti Airport
Gilbert IslandsOnotoaOOTNGONOnotoa Airport
Gilbert IslandsTabiteueaTBFNGTETabiteuea North Airport
Gilbert IslandsTabiteueaTSUNGTSTabiteuea South Airport
Gilbert IslandsTamanaTMNNGTMTamana Airport
Gilbert IslandsTarawaTRWNGTABonriki International Airport
Line IslandsKiritimatiCXIPLCHCassidy International Airport
Line IslandsTabuaeranTNVPLFATabuaeran Island Airport
Line IslandsTerainaTNQnoneTeraina Airfield

International destinations

Destinations General

Air Kiribati operates domestic flights linking all the Gilbert Islands. The Line Islands and Phoenix Islands, with 41,000 and 8,809 inhabitants, respectively, are too far from the Gilbert Islands to be considered commercially viable to serve from Tarawa although Air Kiribati's only rival airline, domestic Coral Sun Airways, was examining the purchase of a new aircraft capable of flying Tarawa-Kiritimati.

Kiritimati

It is possible to fly Tarawa to Kiritimati, but mainly via Nadi, Fiji. There are some direct fights chartered by Air Kiribati for students during holidays.

Fleet

As of December 2019, Air Kiribati consists of following aircraft:

Retired Fleet

Fleet development

Embraer E190-E2

In December 2019, the first Embraer E190-E2, in Air Kiribati livery, was delivered to the airline. The E190-E2 has been certified and registered to the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority since the beginning of 2020.
The Embraer E190-E2 has a maximum range of 5,278 km. It retains cockpit commonality with its predecessor - E190. E190 pilots will only require a 2.5 days transition training with no flight simulator time needed to be able to fly the E190-E2.
Air Kiribati acting CEO Danial Rochford previously pointed out that "the type's increased range deemed it a "perfect choice" for the carrier." Acting CEO Danial Rochford says that the E190-E2 will offer “opportunities to fly from Australia and New Zealand direct to Kiribati”.
Cesar Pereira, Asia Pacific Vice President of Embraer Commercial Aviation said “We warmly welcome Air Kiribati to the Embraer family and we will work closely with the airline as they transition to the E190-E2 through our extensive entry-into-service package and world-class support team in the region, Flying in the Pacific, over large bodies of water, requires outstanding range, performance and ample cargo capacity.
The E190-E2 is able to operate every required route in the Air Kiribati network and also allow the airline to operate longer-haul domestic and international routes including connections that had so far been beyond the reach of its current fleet of turboprops.
The Kiribati Transport Minister stated: "non-stop operations between the capital Tarawa and Kiritmati island currently requires an international stop in Fiji. With a range of 2,850 nautical miles, the E190-E2 can operate throughout the country with non-stop routes."

Domestic Twin Otter

In December 2007, the Kiribati Government approved a request by Air Kiribati to purchase two Canadian made Twin Otter aircraft. Each plane is reported to cost US$3.3 million, but Air Kiribati's previous CEO Baraniko Baaro reports the purchase is a wise move which will save money currently used for the frequent repairs the aging air fleet requires. In addition, the new planes boast higher fuel efficiency, have room for more passengers and cargo and require less runway length than the current fleet, which may be of benefit on the airstrips of Kiribati's outer islands.

Regional Dash 8

Air Kiribati has received its first new Dash 8 100 series aircraft, which touched down at Bonriki International Airport from Canada on 31 October 2017. It is operating a once-a-week service between Tarawa and Funafuti from 21 March 2018.
Acting CEO Danial Rochford said “We are very excited to reconnect Kiribati and Tuvalu with this once a week service using our Dash 8 aircraft. These two nations have strong traditional ties and we are confident that the service will be well supported. We are thrilled to play a role in foster greater access for economic development and trade as well as facilitate increased tourism for our island nations”.
Tarataake Teannaki said "The Dash 8 is expected to fly to Tabiteuea North, pick up passengers from the Southern Gilbert Islands who will be flown to Tabiteuea North via Air Kiribati’s smaller aircraft stationed on the island to pick passengers from the Southern Gilberts and vice versa.

Publicly declared funding