Air Vanuatu’s future still under review

May 18, 2025 10:07 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Doddy Morris.

The Vanuatu Government says it is committed to reviving Air Vanuatu “from the ground up,” as speculation continues over the future of the airline’s leadership and overall recovery strategy following its financial collapse.

In a response to the Daily Post, a government spokesperson confirmed that a broader update will be announced soon.

“Currently, the government is advertising the positions of the board of directors for both Air Vanuatu and Airports Vanuatu Limited (AVL). Once we have a new board of directors, they will oversee the full restructure and future management of the airline,” the spokesperson said.

The confirmation comes as questions remain over the role of acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joseph Laloyer, a long-time aviation figure who has led the airline during several different periods. There has been no official announcement about Mr. Laloyer’s retirement or any move to appoint a permanent CEO.

An insider said Mr. Laloyer was instrumental in early 2024 in pushing the government to make a clear decision on the airline’s future. He is understood to have urged leaders to either reinvest heavily to stabilise operations or to place the airline into full receivership, allowing for a Chapter 11-style restructuring process to begin.

So far, the government has not confirmed whether a new national carrier—informally referred to as “AV3”—is being actively pursued, but the planned restructure signals a major shift in the way Air Vanuatu will be managed going forward.