Palau Airways Prepares for Take-Off

Asian start-up carrier Palau Airways has tentatively set April 11, 2012 as its planned launch date after finalising the lease of a single Boeing 757-200. The carrier plans to operate a three times weekly service between Koror and Taipei Taoyuan, increasing to a five times weekly schedule from May 1, 2012. The new airline, although headquartered in the small nation of Palau, is understood to have its operational base in Taiwan.

The Republic of Palau is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, approximately 800 km east of the Philippines. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau announced independence and instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, it became one of the world's youngest and smallest sovereign states in 1993. The nation has a population of approximately 21,000, of whom 70% are native Palauans and its economy consists primarily of tourism, subsistence agriculture, and fishing.

The new link from Palau Airways will place it in direct competition with China Airlines, while TransAsia Airways also provides seasonal charter links into Palau’s Roman Tmetuchl International Airport from the Taiwanese capital. An estimated 49,000 O&D passengers travelled on this route in 2011, up a massive 181.1 per cent on the previous year. Alongside the link to Taipei, Palau is also served by Asiana Airlines and Korean Air from Seoul Incheon; United Airlines from Guam, Manila and Yap and Delta Air Lines from Tokyo (on a seasonal basis only).