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Solomon Airlines |
Solomon Airlines is the flag carrier of Solomon Islands that was founded in 1962 by Laurie Crowley for operating chartered flights. The fleet of Solomon Airlines comprises three De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter Series 300S and one Embraer E-170. He used to fly Papua New Guinea and he began flying charter planes on only one Piper Aztec to the Solomon Islands. As Solomon Islands did not serve as the base of any commercial airline Laurie Crowley made a decision to begin an airline company that he named Megapode Airlines, which was the forerunner of the Solomon Airlines. Papua New Guinea was determined to sell Megapode in 1968 and also to change its name to Solomon Islands Airways. But it was also known by the common people as the short form of SOLAIR. Macair acquired Megapode after it started operating regularly scheduled flights instead of the charter flights. SOLAIR under Macair got the fame of the smallest airline that operated international flights and served Bougainville with a fleet of two Beech Barons and two Doves. SOLAIR and Macair were acquired in 1975 by Talair and it bought nine aircrafts of Beech Queen Air 80 in 1976. On that same year the government of Solomon Island acquired 49% share of this airline and got the authority to purchase the remaining share within the coming five years.
Solomon Airlines gradually experienced growth for these coming years and during this time period a latest Fairchild Metro was acquired and offering services to Vanuatu was started. The Government took decision of acquiring all the shares of this airline and also of leasing one Bandeirante aircraft and two Twin Otters from Talair in 1984. Immediately after the takeover these aircrafts were given back to Talair. The transaction of this airline along with its assets of the Hunts of the Pacific, a tour company and Pacific Car Rentalm, was completed in 1987. The staffs of this airline distrusted the new ownership and most of them left their jobs immediately. The Government then had to reform the airline Solomon Airlines and so it made an investment of 2 million dollars. Solomon Airlines then made joint ventures with Qantas and then Air Pacific and stepped into the jet age.
Destinations of Solomon Airlines:
International Destinations – Brisbane, Port Moresby, Port Vila and Nadi
Domestic Destinations - Honiara, Bellona, Choiseul Bay, Avu Avu, Kirakira, Ontong Java, Kaghau, Ngatokae, Ramata, Santa Cruz Islands, Santa Anna and Yandina
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