A very pregnant woman is one of many Australians stranded in Vanuatu when the Pacific island country’s national airline went into voluntary liquidation on Friday.
It emerged on Thursday that all international flights scheduled by Air Vanuatu until Sunday had been cancelled, as the government “reviewed” the airline’s future.
But just hours later, the airline went into voluntary liquidation, stranding hundreds of passengers, including Melbourne woman Adara Brooks, who is 31 weeks pregnant.
Ms Brooks said she and her husband Tyler were about to leave for the airport when they found out their flight had been canceled and the next flight could be weeks away.
“We’re definitely looking forward to coming home,” she told the Today show. ‘We also have two small children at home. We really want to get home as soon as possible.’
Melbourne woman Adara Brooks, who is 31 weeks pregnant, is stuck in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu after her national airline collapses. She appears in the photo with her husband Tyler.
It emerged on Thursday that all scheduled international flights on Air Vanuatu (plane pictured) until Sunday had been cancelled, as the government “reviewed” the airline’s future.
The couple will also have to pay a large amount of money to return to Australia, as Brooks said their insurance will not cover their flights home.
“We have travel insurance, but it’s not covered, so we’ll probably be out of pocket for thousands and thousands of dollars,” he said.
“In most travel insurance there is fine print which, unfortunately, does not cover administration or settlement.”
The couple said they might be able to catch a flight to Fiji or New Caledonia and then fly from there to Australia, but for now they are stuck in Vanuata and just weeks away from the birth of their third baby.
Morgan Kelly, Justin Walsh and Andrew Hanson of Ernst and Young (EY) Australia were appointed liquidators on Friday.
This was attributed to the result of “extended maintenance needs” for Air Vanuatu aircraft.
EY said it would conduct safety and maintenance checks before resuming normal operations.
Strategy and transactions partner Kelly said the airline’s existing management team would remain in place throughout the process.
“Air Vanuatu is vital to the people of the Republic of Vanuatu and a company of strategic importance to the nation,” he said.
‘Our team is working closely with management to ensure continuity of service to customers and ensure services continue as seamlessly as possible.
“The outlook for the airline is positive, despite the pressures on the wider industry, and we will focus on securing the future of this strategically vital national airline.”
Affected travelers would be informed of this disruption and their flights would be rebooked as soon as operations resumed.
Air Vanuatu has been on the brink of financial ruin after reports that the Vanuatu government appointed EY to advise the government.
“The Vanuatu government is now considering placing Air Vanuatu… under voluntary administration,” the airline said on Thursday.
It operates four aircraft, including a Boeing 737 and three turboprop aircraft.
The Vanuatu Tourism Board said it was aware of reports that Air Vanuatu had entered voluntary administration.
“We are aware of the impact this situation has on travellers, ticket holders and the industry and, on behalf of Vanuatu’s tourism industry, we extend our apologies to anyone who is affected,” he said in a statement.
“This is an evolving situation and we will continue to post updates.”
Australia’s national airline, Qantas, does not operate flights to Vanuatu, but has a codeshare agreement with the airline to connect passengers to the nation.
Qantas said it was helping customers affected by the cancellations find alternative flights.
Air Vanuatu (aircraft pictured) operates four aircraft, including a Boeing 737 and three turboprop aircraft.
It also encouraged all customers with bookings on Air Vanuatu between now and the end of May to contact their flight provider for refunds.
Virgin Australia is the only other Australian airline operating in Vanuatu and its scheduled flights continue.
The airline’s problems came after the collapse of Australian startup Bonza, which had just started flying about a year ago.
Bonza’s fleet of aircraft has begun to be withdrawn from Australia before the airline’s financial crisis is laid bare at a creditors’ meeting.