Airline introduces new CEO as it sees slight increase in arrivals for July

Solomon Airlines today introduced its new CEO Gus Kraus – with positive vibes in the air as the airline now sees its arrival numbers slowly picking up after international border was reopened in July since early 2020.

Kraus a popular figure in the Solomon Airlines history returned to the top job last week to lead the national carrier into is post COVID-19 operations.

Solomon Airlines Chairman, Frank Wickham said Kraus’ returned form the Airline having served Air Niugini bringing with him 54 years of airline industries experience.

“With the full confidence of the board he has accepted the role of the CEO to lead our ongoing operations,” he said.

Kraus takes over from Brett Gebers whom Wickham publicly thanked for his services to the Airline for the past four years which he described as an immensely challenging period.

In taking up the challenge, Kraus said the airlines welcomes the board’s decision for the return o the Dash-8 to serve the domestic routes.

The aircraft is currently undergoing repair works in Australia and is expected to return to full operational by early October.

He added this will help with the airline’s domestic fleet as Christmas is approaching.

On the international front, Solomon Airlines currently flies twice to Australia but they plan to increase it to four flights a week.

“We will ramp up to four flights a week to Brisbane in October,” he said.

CEO Kraus acknowledges that it will still take time to get the numbers Airlines used to fly into Honiara each year before COVID-19 hit.

For instance, data by the airline shows that since the borders opned in July, the airline has recorded 2, 188 passengers compared to just a thousand plus in June. But prior to covid-19 in July 2019 the airline was carrying into Honiara 5,357 passengers.

News@SBMOnline2022