Direct flights from Brisbane to Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu's largest island, are on hold after the country's aviation regulator banned aircraft carrying more than 30 passengers from Santo International Airport.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vanuatu (CAAV) imposed the temporary prohibition because the airport's rescue and firefighting vehicles don't meet required capability. The vehicles are run by Airports Vanuatu Limited, and flights can only return once the issue is fixed and the Director of Civil Aviation issues written clearance. No date has been announced.
The grounding hits the twice-weekly Brisbane–Santo service (NF304/305) flown by Solomon Airlines on behalf of Air Vanuatu, which only launched in April this year as a deliberate push to lift tourism to the island's northern reaches. It also affects Air Vanuatu's Port Vila–Santo domestic routes flown by its ATR 72-600, though the airline's smaller Twin Otters continue to operate, giving domestic passengers a workaround — or the option of free rebooking once bigger planes return.
Air Vanuatu CEO Philippe Busson said the airline chose to suspend the route openly rather than cancel week by week, so travellers could plan ahead. Vanuatu's government is reportedly pushing for a fix within the week, and the Vanuatu Tourism Office has confirmed the island itself is very much open for business.
There's a silver lining for anyone eyeing the island: the government has committed VT300 million (roughly AU$3.6 million) to a 113km road linking Luganville with West Coast communities — the kind of access improvement that makes Santo's remote beaches, blue holes and dive sites far easier to reach.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs is telling affected travellers to reconfirm flights with their airline or agent and to contact their insurer about alternatives. If you're booked to Santo in the coming weeks, the practical play is simple: check your itinerary, consider routing through Port Vila with a Twin Otter connection, and keep an eye on CAAV clearance news before going to the airport. Santo's champagne beach and world-class diving aren't going anywhere — but your direct flight, for now, might be.
