Qantas, Air NZ halt Vanuatu flights over runway risks

Qantas and Air NZ have suspended flights to Vanuatu due to safety concerns about its airport runway, a blow to tourism and the Pacific island nation's recovery efforts after a cyclone last year. Virgin Australia, however, said it would continue to fly to Port Vila, after its investigators examined the runway over the weekend and deemed it safe. Australia and New Zealand account for the bulk of visitors to Vanuatu, which relied on tourism for more than a third of its GDP last year. In March, the island was ravaged by Cyclone Pam, which wiped out more than 90% of its crops. Air NZ, which flew once a week from Auckland to Port Vila, said it had sent its last flight Sunday. "Weather and jet engine activity are resulting in loose material on the runway," a spokeswoman said. Qantas said it had cancelled a code-share agreement with Air Vanuatu over concerns about the condition of the runway.<br/>