Air Rarotonga

Air Rarotonga | IATA | ICAO | Callsign

|
|

GZ [1] | RAR [2] | Rarotonga
Founded| 1978
Hubs| Rarotonga International Airport
Fleet size| 6
Destinations| 9
Headquarters| Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Key people| Ewan Smith
Website| www.airraro.com
Air Rarotonga Embraer 110 at Rarotonga International Airport (2012) Air Rarotonga Saab 340 on the tarmac at Rarotonga International Airport Air Rarotonga route map as of February 2008[3]

Air Rarotonga is an airline based in Rarotonga, Cook Islands and is ‘The Airline of the Cook Islands’. It operates inter-island and regional scheduled services throughout the Cook Islands and to Tahiti. It also operates chartered flights to French Polynesia, Niue, Samoa, Kiribati and Tonga.[4] Its main base and hub is Rarotonga International Airport.[5]

## History

[edit]

The airline was established in February 1978 and started operations in July 1978 with a Cessna 337 aircraft. The company is owned by three private investors. More than 70,000 passengers travel between its island destinations each year.[6]

## Destinations

[edit]

Following is a list of destinations Air Rarotonga flies to as part of its scheduled services, as of October 2018[update].[7]

| Hub

|

City  | Country  | IATA  | ICAO  | Airport  | Refs and Notes

|
|
|
|
|

Aitutaki |  Cook Islands | AIT | NCAI | Aitutaki Airport | [7]
Atiu |  Cook Islands | AIU | NCAT | Enua Airport | [7]
Mangaia |  Cook Islands | MGS | NCMG | Mangaia Airport | [7]
Manihiki |  Cook Islands | MHX | NCMH | Manihiki Island Airport | [7]
Mauke |  Cook Islands | MUK | NCMK | Mauke Airport | [7]
Mitiaro |  Cook Islands | MOI | NCMR | Mitiaro Airport | [7]
Penrhyn Island |  Cook Islands | PYE | NCPY | Tongareva Airport | [7]
Pukapuka |  Cook Islands | PZK | NCPK | Pukapuka Island Airport | [7]
Tahiti |  French Polynesia | PPT | NTAA | Faa'a International Airport | [7]
Rarotonga |  Cook Islands | RAR | NCRG | Rarotonga International Airport | [7]

Since August 2022 Air Rarotonga operates international flights to Tahiti using their own aircraft.

Previously, the airline codeshared with Air Tahiti on flights between Rarotonga and Tahiti. Air Rarotonga also code shares with Air New Zealand for flights between Rarotonga and Aitutaki with Air Rarotonga being the operator.

The airline also offers scenic flights over Rarotonga and air charter services to neighbouring Pacific Island countries including Tahiti, Niue, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Kiribati.

The airline also operates air ambulance evacuations from all island airports in the Cook Islands and on to Auckland when required.[8]

## Fleet

[edit]

As of October 2019 the Air Rarotonga fleet includes the following aircraft:[9]

Air Rarotonga Fleet Aircraft  | Total  | Orders  | Passengers
(Economy)

|
|
|

Saab 340B+ | 2  | 0  | 34
Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante | 2  | 0  | 15
Cessna Citation II | 1  | 0  | 8
Cessna 172 | 1  | 0  | 3
Total | 6  | 0  |

In February 2016, the airline added its first Jet to their fleet.[10]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ IATA. "IATA – Codes – Airline and Airport Codes Search". www.iata.org. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
2. ^ "Air Rarotonga. Airline code, web site, phone, reviews and opinions". Airlines-inform.com. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
3. ^ "Air Rarotonga – Book a Flight". Retrieved 12 September 2014.
4. ^ "Air Rarotonga – Air Charter". Retrieved 12 September 2020.
5. ^ Flight International 27 March 2007
6. ^ "ch-aviation interview: Ewan Smith, CEO Air Rarotonga". ch-aviation.blog. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Air Rarotonga Route Maps". Air Rarotonga. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
8. ^ "Air Rarotonga – Air Ambulance – Medical evacuation". Retrieved 26 February 2020.
9. ^ "Air Rarotonga – Fleet". Retrieved 21 May 2020.
10. ^ "Pacific Private Jet". Retrieved 26 June 2022.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Air Rarotonga.

* Official website

Portals:

* Oceania
* Aviation