Press
Release
Palau Micronesia Air
The Palau Visitors Authority is pleased to announce
the arrival of Palau Micronesia Airs first 'aircraft, a
126 seat 737-300.
Celebrating Palau Micronesia Air’s Take Off
For Immediate Release
August 9, 2004
KOROR, PALAU - Palau Visitors Authority is proud to announce
that on August 5, Micronesia’s pride soured to new
heights when Palau Micronesia Air (IATA Code PD) inaugurated
its initial service to the Micronesian islands of Yap, Chuuk,
and Pohnpei, and to Manila (Philippines) and Darwin (Australia)
with a Boeing 737-300. The aircraft features a single, economy-class
cabin with 126 seats of 31-inch industry-average recline
pitch. Palau Micronesia Air received its aircraft on July
11 in a grand ceremony at Palau International Airport. The
public ceremony was honored by the presence of, among others,
President Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr. of Palau, The Paramount
Chief Ibedul Yutaka Gibbons of the island of Koror, Alan
R. Seid, President of the airline, and the airline’s
Chief Executive Officer Robert ‘Skip’ Nelson.
The Boeing 737-300 is registered in New Zealand as ZK-PLU
and is operated under a flight operating agreement with
the New Zealand airline Airworks, which provides pilots,
mechanics, and flight operations support, while Palau Micronesia
Air handles administration, passenger service, and marketing.
Palau Micronesia Air promises to offer passengers the service,
professionalism, and style expected of an island airline,
beginning with reservations and continuing to the unique,
friendly, and attentive on-board service provided by the
airline’s twenty-three flight attendants, who hail
from the islands of Palau, Yap, Pohnpei, and Chuuk.
In September, Palau Micronesia Air, which employs the slogan,
“Your Airline, Your Choice”, will spread its
wings and inaugurate services to the island of Guam. In
addition to its own flights, the airline has formed interline
agreements with Japan Airlines for connections from major
Japanese through Manila and Guam, and with Philippine Airlines
for connections through Manila to Vancouver (Canada), Los
Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, and Las Vegas (U.S.A.),
Melbourne and Sydney (Australia), and major Asian cities,
including Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, and Bangkok.
In an unprecedented move for Pacific carriers, Palau Micronesia
Air will give their customers the key to their travel plans
with an independent, internet-based reservations system
which enables customers to check flight schedules and make
reservations through the airline’s website at www.palau-air.com.
Travel Agents and other airline carriers will also be able
to pull up flight availability and flight information through
the website.
Palau Micronesia Air, which locally goes by the name PMAir,
is a public company and shares are held by local Micronesians,
from school teachers to bus drivers, and regional island
governments. In an interview with Mary Ann Delemel, Managing
Director of the Palau Visitors Authority, she expressed
her support for the new airline venture, commenting that
it would be “a great benefit for the Micronesian region.
It is always a good idea to have competition; it’s
only appropriate that we have more options of air service.
PVA is very proud and supportive of the fact that Yap [State]
is a stakeholder in this airline. Palau and Yap have long
recognized the potential for joint international marketing.
Yap’s rich culture, traditions, and historical attractions
complement Palau’s unique natural environment. Our
tourism industries will be greatly supported by Yap’s
stake in this airline and the joint marketing we can accomplish
together.”
In short, Palau Micronesia Air will not be your typical
Pacific airline. The blend of support from the communities
it serves and the rich island cultures that make up the
airline will afford the comfort, services, safety, and reliability
expected of a world-class air carrier, while providing the
warm, hospitable, customer-oriented atmosphere that is a
trademark of the Micronesian islands.
In Palau, Palau Micronesia Air may be contacted by telephone
at (680) 488-1111, by E-Mail at info@palau-air.com,
or by post at P.O. Box 9048. For more information about
Palau Micronesia Air, please visit the airline’s website
at www.palau-air.com.
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