Air Tahiti Nui, a tool for French Polynesia's tourist and economic development:

Created in 1996 by the government of French Polynesia and local private investors, Air Tahiti Nui's principal job was to provide a continuous supply of seats to the destination to assist with the development of tourism in our islands.

With its three class configuration (First, Business and Economy), the airline offers top of the range services with an additional Polynesian flavour which is the basis of its charm.

Rewarded more than once for the quality of its service and its crews, the airline wants to present itself through the quality of its in-flight service.

Air Tahiti Nui meets the highest standards of air safety by submitting to IOSA certification, the world's most rigorous operational audit of standards organised by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).





Some key dates:

- October 1996: creation of the Air Tahiti Nui international airline company.

- November 1998: Air Tahiti Nui's first commercial flight from Papeete to Los Angeles and in its wake from Papeete to Tokyo with its first aircraft.

- April 2000: start of a weekly connection between Papeete and Osaka in Japan.

- August 2000: start of the route between Papeete and Auckland in New Zealand.

- May 2002: start of the route between Papeete and Paris via Los Angeles with the acquisition of a second aircraft.

- February 2003: the fleet increased in size and took on two new Airbus A340-300.

- June 2005: purchase of the "Nuku Hiva", the fleet's fifth aircraft, and in July, the start of the New York-Sydney connection via Tahiti

- September 2008: the Osaka service was stopped. The airline concentrated on its Tokyo hub with two weekly flights.

- January 2009: the Sydney and New York services were discontinued for economic reasons. Sydney is still served in code share with the Australian airline Qantas.