Nauru Airlines Cleared For HNL Service

CH-Aviation reports that the governments of Nauru and the Marshall Islands have reached an agreement that would allow Nauru Airlines to serve HNL from INU [Nauru International Airport, Yaren, Nauru] via MAJ. Nauru Airlines already obtained approval from the US DOT for scheduled service to GUM and charter service to HNL, but need an intermediary stop for HNL. No timeline has been set for the INU-MAJ-HNL service, except that it is the early stages of planning.

Nauru Airlines has a 737-79L, VH-INU (c/n 34538, l/n 1853), and a 737-83N, VH-AN2 (c/n 30660, l/n 1330) that would be able to make the flights.

LZ-MRX

Nauru Airlines is taking delivery of LZ-MRX (c/n 33003, l/n 1121), owned by Merx Aviation. This 737-86NF is making its delivery flight from DHN to BNE, via SDM, HNL, and NAN. It will be registered as VH-8TG.

33003’s History:

Apr 2002: Delivered to Excel Airways as G-XLAG, under lease from GECAS.

Oct 2003: Subleased to Ryanair for six months.

Nov 2005: Subleased to Xtra Airways for seven months.

Nov 2006: Airline rebrands as XL Airways.

Dec 2006: Subleased to Xtra Airways for five months.

Dec 2007: Subleased to Sunwing Airlines as C-FEAG for six months.

May 2009: Leased to Garuda Indonesia as PK-GEJ.

Aug 2016: Acquired by Merx Aviation, and leased to Sriwijaya Air as PK-CMU “Berarti”.

Oct 2021: Returned to Merx as LZ-MRX, and stored at SNN.

Jan 2022: Ferried to DHN for freighter conversion.

Nauru Airlines’ VH-PNI

Nauru Airlines is ferrying VH-PNI “Itsirir” (c/n 28555, l/n 2846) from BNE to NWI, with stops at TRW, HNL, YVR, YWG, and YYT, for heavy maintenance. This 737-36N is making the flight as RON810 [BNE-TRW-HNL], RON811 [HNL-YVR-YWG], and RON812 [YWG-YYT-NWI].

photo to follow ...

N348NA

N348NA (c/n 34538, l/n 1853), a 737-79L owned by DAE Capital, is being ferried from OPF to INU (via VNY and HNL), as its due to join the Nauru Airlines fleet, with an Australian registration. It's being delivered in a partial Surinam Airways livery.

34538's History:

Jan 2006: Delivered to Air China as B-5203, leased from AWAS.

Aug 2017: Sold to DAE Capital, and lease transferred.

Apr 2018: Leased to Surinam Airways as PZ-TCS "District of Saramacca".

Feb 2021: Returned and stored at OPF

Jun 2021: Acquired by Nauru Airlines as VH-INU.

This is the third time that this airframe has delivered through HNL.

04 Jly 2021 UPDATE

VH-INU will be put into service sometime in the 4th Quarter of this year, as flight crews will need to be trained, the aircraft certified, and painted into the Nauru Airlines livery.

Nauru Airlines' N256NA

Nauru Airlines is receiving N256NA (c/n 25607, l/n 3127) back from freighter conversion. It transited through HNL this past January. It was transferred to TVPX Trust Services as N256NA for the freighter conversion at MIA. The flight routing is MIA, VNY, HNL, INU, and BNE. Once it returns to BNE, it will receive its VH-YNU registration again.

Nauru Airlines' VH-YNU

Nauru Airlines is ferrying another 737-300, VH-YNU (c/n 25607, l/n 3127) from BNE to MIA, via INU, HNL and VNY, for freighter conversion. This 737-319, making an overnight stop at HNL, will spend a few months at MIA before returning to the Nauru Airlines fleet.

25067’s history

Oct 1999: Originally delivered to Air New Zealand as ZK-NGH, and flew until Nov 2014.

Dec 2014: Acquired by Nauru Airlines as VH-YNU.

Nauru Airlines' N732NA

Nauru Airlines 737-3U3, N732NA (c/n 28732, l/n 2966), is returning from MIA after it underwent freighter conversion. It stopped through HNL as VH-ONU, and will receive the same registration when it returns to Nauru. It made a stop at VNY before arriving at HNL, and will continue onto INU and BNE. This 737-300 is scheduled to ferry back as a freighter some time in May.

Nauru Airlines' VH-ONU

Nauru Airlines is ferrying VH-ONU (c/n 28732, l/n 2966) from BNE to MIA, with a stop at HNL and ONT. This 737-3U3 arrived early this morning on a direct flight from BNE. It departed this afternoon ahead of Hurricane Douglas.

28732 was originally ordered by Garuda Indonesia as PK-GGH, but was not taken up. In November 1998, Air New Zealand purchased this 737-3U3, then leased it to Winair as N930WA. Five months later, it was leased to LOT - Polish Airlines as ZK-NGD. In October 1999, Air New Zealand sold ZK-NGD to ACAP, and leased it back to the airline, then added the 737 into their fleet. In August 2014, it was sold to Nauru Airlines as VH-ONU. Its last revenue flight was on March 21, 2020, and stored at BNE.