Solomon Islands national airline will not be running international passenger flights until the end of August.

Radio New Zealand reports this was announced by the airline’s management after a meeting with the national government.

Solomon Airlines’ chief executive, Brett Gerbers, says he was encouraged by the Pacific’s success in managing the Covid-19 pandemic so far.

However he says the airline would continue to take advice from the government on the necessary precautions regarding international border restrictions.

Mr Gerbers says all domestic flights had resumed and the airline was on standby to provide repatriation and cargo flights, subject to government approval.

He says he expected the first of these to be within the next few weeks between Australia, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji.

VBTC understands Solomon Airlines provided the first repatriation flight to Vanuatu with seven people on board.