More than three years after Air New Zealand suspended its flight service to Vanuatu over safety concerns, Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has called for that decision to be reassessed.
Air New Zealand pulled its service to Vanuatu in January 2016 over concerns about the condition of the runway at the nation's main airport in Port Vila after the country was ravaged by Cyclone Pam.
But now the runway has been repaired, Peters says New Zealand's relationship with Vanuatu could be tainted by the refusal to fly to Vanuatu's Bauerfield Airport, TVNZ reported.
"Their original excuse, if it was to have any validity, has gone but it still means we've got to talk to them in the interest of Vanuatu people," Peters said.
Air New Zealand had previously been operating to Vanuatu once a week and codesharing with Air Vanuatu on its twice weekly Auckland-Vanuatu services.
