Overview:
Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. is calling for a “One Pacific” airline alliance, saying regional carriers must work together to gain greater leverage and help bring down high airfares and improve connectivity across the Pacific.
By Elilai Rengiil
KOROR, Palau — “Maybe we need to build our own alliance” to give Pacific airlines greater leverage, Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. said Monday as he called on smaller island states to consider forming a regional airline alliance to address high airfares and limited connections across the Pacific.
Speaking at the Smaller Island States Leaders Meeting, Whipps said Palau’s chairmanship of the group would focus on strengthening multilateralism and helping Pacific countries work more closely with partners to build “a prospering Pacific.”
Whipps said Pacific airlines have been left outside the major alliances formed by large international carriers, limiting their ability to cooperate and compete.
“We need to build alliances,” Whipps said. “As the world, the big airlines, have created all these alliances, Pacific carriers are not part of any of these alliances.”
He proposed that Pacific carriers explore a “One Pacific” alliance, potentially bringing together airlines from Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji and Nauru.
“Maybe we need to build our own alliance and be able to work together to leverage that capability,” Whipps said.
He said the region needs practical cooperation rather than continued discussion as smaller island states grapple with costly air travel and limited connections between Pacific countries.
The proposal came as Kiribati President Taneti Maamau formally transferred the Smaller Island States chairmanship to Whipps during Monday’s leaders meeting.