Aircalin has decided to withdraw its Tokyo/Narita-Noumea route. The final flight was on August 26.
Aircalin was established in 1983 and first entered the Japanese market in June 2000 with the Osaka/Kansai-Noumea route. In 2003, it opened the Tokyo/Narita-Noumea route, servicing over 20,000 people annually from Japan. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline continued operations with reduced flights.
Meanwhile, in New Caledonia, violent protests erupted over independence on May 13 this year, leading to road blockades, arson of buildings and vehicles, and other incidents. A state of emergency and a night-time curfew were declared, and Tontouta International Airport was temporarily closed, significantly affecting the region. Consequently, the Tokyo/Narita-Noumea route, Aircalin’s only route in Japan, was temporarily suspended, resuming operations in June. The decision to withdraw from the Japanese route, which faced difficulties in early recovery of travelers, was made to maintain a healthy financial situation for the company by reallocating aircraft to more profitable routes. The Narita Airport branch and the Japan office will close on September 30 and October 31, respectively.
In the future, travelers from Japan will need to access New Caledonia via Singapore, Auckland, Brisbane, or Sydney.
Additionally, the New Caledonia Tourism Board’s Japan Office has been indefinitely suspended since July.
