Commercial flights to and from the international airport of La Tontouta in New Caledonia are set to resume gradually starting on Wednesday, as announced by the local airline Aircalin on June 4. The New Caledonia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the infrastructure manager, confirmed this information with the Agence France-Presse (AFP). Aircalin stated that they will resume a portion of their long and medium-haul commercial flights in a gradual manner until a normal situation is restored, taking into account the constraints related to road traffic on RT1 and the curfew hours in place.
Due to the accessibility issues of the terminal from the south of New Caledonia, an aerial bridge will be implemented to transport passengers and their luggage between La Tontouta and the Magenta aerodrome in the neighborhood of the same name in Nouméa. In this context, since the transfer will be done using a small aircraft, only one piece of luggage weighing 23 kilograms will be allowed per passenger. Aircalin has had to cancel 185 flights, affecting nearly 20,000 passengers since May 13. The first flights affected by the resumption of traffic on Wednesday are from Papeete via Nandi, Fiji, and one destined for Brisbane, Australia, in the evening.
The international airport of Nouméa has been closed since the start of the riots in New Caledonia, sparked by the electoral reform passed by the Parliament in Paris regarding the thawing of the Caledonian electoral body, which was contested by the pro-independence factions. The road leading from Nouméa to the airport, 50 kilometers north of the city, has been one of the main hotspots of the unrest. Despite a gradual return to normalcy, sporadic blockages continue to be observed. The riots resulted in the deaths of seven people, including two gendarmes, and the blocking of several roads on the main island.
On the political front, leaders of the moderate non-independence party Calédonie ensemble stated on Tuesday that Emmanuel Macron should officially acknowledge the end of the constitutional reform project regarding the electoral body, which they believe is essential to ease tensions. This is seen as a prerequisite especially since the State is struggling to restore order, according to Philippe Gomès, a Calédonie ensemble leader. The President has so far indicated that there would be no coercion, but also no reversal of the decision. The FLNKS, the main coalition of pro-independence parties, also requested Macron to explicitly abandon the electoral reform adoption.
The riots have caused significant disruptions and violence, leading to injuries among law enforcement officers. A gendarme was injured by falling into a trap set up in a sewer in Dumbéa, near Nouméa, with concrete bars positioned vertically to create spikes at the bottom. Overall, 191 gendarmes and police officers have been injured since the start of the troubles. The situation remains tense, with ongoing discussions and demands for political concessions to ease the crisis and restore stability in New Caledonia. The resumption of commercial flights is seen as a step towards normalcy, but challenges persist in the aftermath of the recent upheaval.
