After two years, Air Vanuatu returns to Torres on eve of provincial election

February 2, 2026 10:17 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Hilaire Bule.

The people of Torres in TORBA Province said there should be elections, either provincial or general, every year to maintain government services on the islands, especially remote ones.

David Andrew made the statement after Air Vanuatu resumed flights to Loh Airport on Sunday, 1 February 2026, following a two-year pause.

Mr. Andrew said the last flight they saw was in December 2023. They thought that, because people of Torres were going to the polls to elect new councillors, the government had decided through the Air Vanuatu Board to resume flights last Sunday at Loh. He said only two candidates are contesting for the single seat in Torres.

“We didn’t know Air Vanuatu still existed because it hasn’t served us since 2023. When the aircraft landed on Sunday, we were asking ourselves, ‘Is this an Air Vanuatu flight or a new airline?’ We just heard the familiar noise of the Twin Otter again,” Mr. Andrew said.

He added that children born after December 2023 would see their first aircraft larger than the small private planes that occasionally visit the islands.

Since Air Vanuatu’s last trip to Loh, residents had only occasionally seen chartered aircraft.

“They were very happy to see Air Vanuatu land at Loh Airport again, and for that reason, they welcomed the pilots with salusalus,” he said.

“We were also told that Air Vanuatu will resume normal service on 13 March 2026, but if there are enough passengers, flights could operate anytime before then,” he added.

Mr. Andrew said the return of flights was especially fortunate for students who had been unable to travel. Fifteen students from Torres were able to board the plane on Sunday to attend classrooms in Santo, Vanualava, and Efate, while thousands of other students across the country were already attending school.

He said a total of 40 students had been stuck in Torres and were selected to continue their studies at Baldwin Memorial College, Matevulu College in Santo, and Malapoa on Efate.

Out of these 40 students, 20 left on one of the country’s commercial vessels. Some were among the 18 passengers on Sunday’s Air Vanuatu flight, and 15 are still waiting to travel.

The students come from Toga, Loh, Tegua, and Hiu islands. Some may travel on the RVS Sokomanu, currently at Hiu, to transport ballot boxes after polling ends today.

Mr. Andrew said residents of Torres are now urging the government, through the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), to introduce Years 11, 12, and 13 locally. He said this would allow children to start school at the same time as other students across the country.

“It has become a habit for our students to start school late due to transport difficulties. Maybe because our students are from small islands, the government has not focused on us, but we still have the same right to education,” he said.

The MoET said upgrading Robin School in Loh to accommodate Year 13 is currently not possible due to the population size and the number of children. The ministry also noted the challenge of providing teachers willing to work in Torres.