China, New Zealand and the Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO) vowed to assist and improve Tonga’s aviation safety.

Known as “Four Party Meeting” (FPM), the aviation authorities met in Nuku’alofa last week and agreed to step up their efforts in assisting Tonga so its safety aviation could meet the international required standards sustainably.

This included allowing PASO to access and deal with the controversial MA60 aircraft that had brought so much grief to Real Tonga airline since 2012.

The FPM formally agreed to provide technical supports to Tonga’s aviation on a long term arrangement.

The Tongan aviation authority was caught in the middle after the former government was accused internationally for endorsing the MA60 which had been involved in a number of incidents around the world, including crashes.

Supporters and advocates of the aircraft however cited claims these incidents were caused by pilot error.

At the time the New Zealand government immediately told tourists they would be flying on the aircraft at their own risk.

The New Zealand authority later suspended NZ$10 million (TP15.5 million) tourism aid to Tonga in response to the kingdom’s use of the aircraft.

The suspension was later lifted in 2014 after the two governments began negotiation to resolve their concerns.

The situation also cost one Minister of Aviation’s ministerial post in September 2014 after a report from the Tongan government to the International Civil Aviation Organisation was found to have errors.

However, New Zealand has promised Tonga it has turned over a new page and supported its attempts to normalise its aviation standards.

The meeting was attended by leaders of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the Civil Aviation Authority New Zealand (CAANZ), the Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO), and the Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Infrastructure Tonga.

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  1. Kuo tukupā ʻa Siaina, Nuʻu Sila mo e ʻŌfisi ʻo e Malu ki he Fepunaʻaki ʻa e Pasifikí ke tokoniʻi mo fakaleleiʻi e folau vakapuna ʻa Tongá.

    Ko e Four Party Meeting eni, pea ne nau fakataha ʻi Nukuʻalofa ʻi he uike kuo ʻosí ʻo nau felotoi ke hiki hake enau tokoni kae lava ke tolonga e muimui ʻa Tonga ki he fiemaʻu fakavahapuleʻanga ki he fepunaʻakí.

    ʻOku kau heni ʻa hono fakaʻatā ʻo e PASO ke ne ngāue tonu ki he vakapuna fehuʻia MA60 kuo hoko ko e koto fakamamahi ki he kautaha Real Tongá talu mei he 2012.

    Kuo felotoi papau e FPM ke fakaai ha tokoni fakatekinikale maʻa e folau vakapuna ʻa Tonga i ha fokotuʻutuʻu taimi lōloa.

    Ne maʻu kovia foki e folau vakapuna ʻa Tongá he ongoongó hili ia hono fakamahino ne kau ʻa e MA60 ʻi ha ngaahi fakatuʻutāmaki ʻi māmani kau ai ʻa e fepaki.

    Neono ʻení ne pehē ʻe he kau poupou ko e ʻū fakatamaki ia ne hoko ki he vaká ko e tupu pe mei he ngaahi fehaalakaaki ʻa e pailaté.

    Ne iku talaki fakahāhā ai ʻe Nuʻu Sila ia ki he kau folau ʻeveʻevá ka nau ka folau he vakapuná ni ko e foʻui ia ʻo kinautolu ka hoko ha meʻa.

    Ne toe taʻofi ʻe Nuʻu Sila ʻene tokoni ki he takimamata ʻa Tongá feʻunga mo e NZ$15.5 miliona tuʻunga pe ʻi heʻenau tali ke ngāueʻaki e vaká.

    Ne iku ki mui ʻo tuku ange atu e paʻanga tokoni ko ʻení pea kamata leva ke taʻutu hifo e ongo fonuá ke solova e ngaahi fetōkehekeheʻakí.

    Ne hoko foki e tuʻunga ne ʻi ai e fetōʻaki he vaká ni mo hono tukuakiʻi ai ʻa Tongá ke toʻo ai e lakanga minisitā folau vakapuna sivile ʻe taha ʻi Sepitema 2014 koeʻuhi ko ha fehalaaki ʻo ha līpooti ki he Kautaha Punavakapuna Sivile Fakavahaʻapuleʻangá.

    Neongo iá kuo fakaava ʻe Nuʻu Sila ha peesi foʻou mo ne tukupā ke poupou ki he feinga ʻa Tonga ke fakaleleiʻi e tuʻunga ʻene folau vakapuná.

    Ko e fakataha ko ʻeni ne kau mai ki ai ʻa e Civil Aviation Administration ʻa Siainá pe (CAAC), ko e Civil Aviation Authority New Zealand (CAANZ), Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO), mo e Civil Aviation Division of the Ministry of Infrastructure ʻa Tongá.