Air Tungaru
# Air Tungaru

Air Tungaru was the first airline of Kiribati. As the predecessor of current Air Kiribati, it was Kiribati's national flag carrier. Air Tungaru's main base was the international airport at Kiribati's capital, South Tarawa. From there, regular service was provided to all 16 domestic airports in the Gilbert Islands.

According to its June 14, 1981 timetable, Air Tungaru initially operated a Boeing 727-100 jetliner with international service between Tarawa and Honolulu, Hawaii, United States via a stop on Kiritimati (listed as Christmas Island in the timetable) as well as nonstop service between Tarawa and the Tuvaluan capital Funafuti, the latter service being operated with a small de Havilland Heron prop aircraft. This same timetable also lists nonstop service between Kiritimati (Christmas Island) and Papeete, Tahiti operated in association with Union de Transports Aériens (UTA), a French airline that was eventually merged into Air France.

## Destinations

### United States

* Hawaii
   * Honolulu - Daniel K. Inouye International Airport

### Oceania

* Kiribati
   * Abaiang - Abaiang Airport
   * Abemama - Abemama Airport
   * Aranuka - Aranuka Airport
   * Arorae - Arorae Airport
   * Beru - Beru Airport
   * Butaritari - Butaritari Airport
   * Kiritimati (also known as Christmas Island) - Cassidy International Airport
   * Kuria - Kuria Airport
   * Maiana - Maiana Airport
   * Makin - Makin Airport
   * Marakei - Marakei Airport
   * Nikunau - Nikunau Airport
   * Nonouti - Nonouti Airport
   * Onotoa - Onotoa Airport
   * Tabiteuea North - Tabiteuea North Airport
   * Tabiteuea South - Tabiteuea South Airport
   * Tamana - Tamana Airport
   * Tarawa - Bonriki International Airport - Hub
* Tuvalu
   * Funafuti - Funafuti International Airport
* French Polynesia
   * Papeete, Tahiti - Faa'a International Airport - service operated in conjunction with Union de Transports Aeriens (UTA).

## Fleet

Air Tungaru operated the following aircraft:

Air Tungaru fleet :

| Aircraft | Total | Introduced | Retired | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Boeing 727-100 | 1 | 1981 | 1984 | Replaced with a Boeing 737-200 |
| Boeing 737-200 | 1 | 1991 | 1993 | |
| Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander | 2 | 1978 | 1996 | |
| CASA C-212 Aviocar | 1 | 1982 | 1996 | |
| de Havilland Heron | 1 | 1981 | 1982 | |
