No Flying From Nauru For Awhile

For any of our readers on the remote island state of Nauru, we suggest you get used to staying put for a little while... or, buying a plane of your own. Aero-News has learned that island's one-and-only airline, Air Nauru, has had its only aircraft repossessed.

"We’re looking for replacement capacity, which could come in the form of a new aircraft or it could come in the form of other airlines assisting us," Air Nauru CEO Geoff Bowmaker told the Melbourne Herald-Sun.

The lack of an airliner leaves the 7,500 residents of the 13 square-mile coral atoll very limited access to the outside world, Bowmaker added, and the airline is scrambling to arrange air charters to cover its scheduled flights.

The Pacific island -- midway between Guam and Fiji -- is so remote that travel by boat to the nearest country that has an airline is reportedly not feasible.

"Ex-Im Bank appreciates the difficulties that the Court's decision presents to Air Nauru and the Government of Nauru," said the statement. "However, this action follows numerous unsuccessful attempts to negotiate a resolution and is now unavoidable in order to protect the interests of U.S. taxpayers."

Nauru, once one of the richest nations per-capita in the world, has fallen on hard times since nearly exhausting its chief export product, phosphates (made from bird droppings), and having its accumulated wealth squandered by corruption and mismanagement. Today, the world's smallest republic is nearly bankrupt, said the Herald-Sun.

The island's government -- which plans to go before a US court later this week in an effort to get the 737 back -- maintains the US had previously promised support for aircraft financing in return for the tiny nation's help in gathering foreign intelligence, according to local media reports.

FMI: www.un.int/nauru/airnauru.html