Air Rarotonga CEO in negotiations with Government to upgrade Cook Islands Northern Group runways

Air Rarotonga CEO Ewan Smith reported the airline is in negotiations with the government to upgrade the Cook Islands' Northern Group coral runways (Cook Islands News, 14-Sep-2019). Mr Smith said engineers have inspected runways in the Northern Group, with the airline making "a commitment to government that if those runways are upgraded then we will offer a weekly scheduled service to the north". Mr Smith further noted the runway upgrades will increase tourism which is "different to what we see here on Rarotonga and Aitutaki, it's a different demographic altogether" and is for "people who seek places that are very, very different, and very unique".