Nauru Airlines has ended the Pohnpei and Koror sectors of its Australian government-backed North Pacific Connector after its interim contract expired, leaving two Micronesian destinations without the carrier’s service while Australia continues evaluating bids for the next phase of the subsidized air link.
The airline removed the Majuro-Pohnpei and Pohnpei-Koror sectors in early July 2026, shortening what had been a weekly Boeing 737 service linking Brisbane with Nauru, Tarawa in Kiribati, Majuro in the Marshall Islands, Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia and Koror in Palau. Nauru Airlines’ revised schedule retains Brisbane-Nauru-Tarawa-Majuro flights.
The change followed the June 29 expiration of an eight-month interim extension awarded to Nauru Air Corporation by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The bridging contract, valued at approximately AUD8.4 million, had run from October 31, 2025, while Australia prepared to procure a longer-term replacement for the North Pacific Connector.
The Australian government has yet to name the operator for the next phase.
DFAT issued tender DFAT-1083 on February 23, 2026, seeking an airline to operate at least one weekly commercial service connecting Australia with Nauru, Tarawa, Majuro, Pohnpei and Koror. Bidding closed on April 14, and as of DFAT’s August 7 procurement update, responses were still being evaluated.
Under the tender requirements, the successful airline must provide capacity for at least 75 passengers and 1,000 kilograms of cargo on every sector. The initial contract would run for 24 months, with an option for another 24 months. The operator would have up to 180 days after reaching an agreement with DFAT to launch the service, although Australia has indicated that an earlier start is preferred.
The North Pacific Connector is supported through Australia’s Pacific Partnerships for Aviation program and is intended to provide reliable links between Australia and some of the Pacific’s most geographically isolated countries. Beyond passenger traffic, the flights support freight, tourism, trade and access to health and education services.
Nauru Airlines had operated the North Pacific Connector since 2022. The airline’s withdrawal from Pohnpei and Koror has prompted criticism in Nauru, where officials argue that delays in Australia’s procurement process have disrupted regional connectivity.
Nauru’s Minister for Naoero Air Corporation, Asterio Appi, told parliament that Nauru Airlines had submitted its bid on time but remained without a decision after the previous contract expired. He said the uncertainty had undermined the airline’s efforts to develop the route and rejected suggestions that the service reductions were caused independently by Nauru Airlines.
Nauru is now pursuing its own regional aviation partnerships. On July 29, the governments of Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia signed a memorandum of understanding in Honolulu covering commercial aviation, financial cooperation and route development. The agreement places particular emphasis on strengthening air links between Majuro and Pohnpei following the loss of the North Pacific Connector sectors. The Nauru government publicly announced the agreement on August 11.
The Nauru government explicitly described the development as following the “recent termination of the Australian North Pacific Connector,” although Australia has not abandoned the program itself: DFAT’s replacement procurement remains under evaluation. The distinction is important—the previous Nauru Airlines-supported operation has ended in its original form, but Australia is still seeking an operator for the next phase.
Nauru Airlines is meanwhile continuing its scaled-back weekly service between Brisbane, Nauru, Tarawa and Majuro. Its published schedule following the July changes showed the revised operation continuing into early January 2027.
Suggested images: Nauru Airlines Boeing 737-300 at Nauru International Airport; a Nauru Airlines 737 at Brisbane Airport; a route map showing Brisbane-Nauru-Tarawa-Majuro-Pohnpei-Koror; or airport images from Pohnpei and Koror illustrating the destinations that lost service.
Related News: https://airguide.info/category/air-travel-business/airline-finance/
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com
