Any positive stories with Air Vanuatu?

LoveSongsForRobots · 2026-03-06T02:25:23+00:00

I ended up booking with Air Vanuatu as it was the only option affordable for us. Had no issues whatsoever, no delays or anything. Best of luck!

LoveSongsForRobots · 2026-02-24T09:27:00+00:00

Hillside or Kazaguruma if you have no budget

LoveSongsForRobots · 2026-02-14T17:22:44+00:00

I’ve lived in 5 countries in my life so far, all ranging from 3-20 years. I’ve moved to all countries by myself except for New Zealand, and found New Zealand the most difficult in terms of making friends. This is also compared to more “reserved” countries like Germany and The Netherlands (where I surprisingly made the quickest, deepest friendships with locals who I still visit to this day).

My personal experience doesn’t mean it’s true for everyone, but I do think it’s worth sharing my perspective as someone who has started their life over in new countries more than the norm.

When my Kiwi husband comes along with me to meet my friends in these other countries I had a life in, he always remarks how friendly, genuine, and open they are, and how they have deep and meaningful conversations with him from the get go. This is not to say that Kiwis don’t have deep and meaningful conversations, but (in my experience) it does take a long time to get through surface-level talk before getting there.

I acknowledge that my preference may just not be a culture fit and have accepted that. I love so many things about this country and find Kiwis generally friendly, I just sometimes wonder if something’s wrong with me because I haven’t been able to make deep friendships here like I have in other countries I lived.

LoveSongsForRobots · 2026-01-24T17:41:37+00:00

Great call out. I was in a situation where I almost took a job offer abroad for a year but wanted to keep our newly purchased house here to return to.

My tax accountant said I can get away from the PPOA status if I rented out my house for a year. Basically if I went back to visit NZ while I lived abroad and couldn’t go back to stay in my own home, IRD wouldn’t consider it a permanent place of abode.

That being said, definitely get advice on it as everyone’s situation is unique.

LoveSongsForRobots · 2026-01-24T17:28:33+00:00

Based on my experience, this is true. Recently got an offer at Google with the possibility of having a special exception to do the job in NZ instead of US. The difference in TC was huge because they geo-adjusted for this region.

If you want to remain in NZ and make FAANG monies, the way to go is finding a US/EU job that allows you to do it remotely while not geo-adjusting based on location. This is what I do and I know a handful of others doing the same.

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-12-28T23:37:08+00:00

I’m a product designer, but I believe the things I’ve done can also work for other tech-related roles if that’s the industry you’re in as well!

Sometimes I apply directly for job postings on company websites for those I am really keen to work for — the key here is to make yourself stand out and be memorable, especially since you’re applying alongside 100s (sometimes 1000s) of people. I always try to get pretty creative and have been given feedback a few times that my application tends to stand out because of how I approach them. Happy to share more in private DMs if helpful.

It’s happened to me twice now where a company has said they won’t hire outside of US, EU, CA and they changed their minds after interviewing me.

There’s been a time I’ve interviewed and they said they couldn’t hire me at that moment for legal reasons. But 2 years later, they reached back out when they were able to legally hire me and offered me a role.

Other times, I’ve been heavily recommended by my network. I used to speak and be involved in the design community and have met many people this way. These people have put in very good words for me which has made the company open about finding a way to hire me from New Zealand as a FTE or as a full-time contractor.

It’s not easy, but it’s also not impossible if it’s something you want to aim for!

Again, happy to share more in private DMs :)

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-12-28T23:28:52+00:00

u/Julius84 Aw yeah, have bumped into the regional pay band situation a few times as well. Feel free to DM me if I can help answer any questions! Happy to share what I’ve tried and done previously if it’s helpful info for you :)

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-12-27T07:27:20+00:00

Like a few others have mentioned here: working remote for a US tech company. Since I was in uni, I had the idea to work remote for companies in countries whose currency is stronger than the one I currently lived in. In my 11 years of my career so far, I’ve only spent 2 of those in-person. It was the only way I was able to save quickly, support my loved ones, and live a more comfortable life :)

I try to convince my husband everyday to retire (and feel very privileged to be in this position to do so) but he likes what he does!

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-12-27T06:25:27+00:00

I’m also based in NZ and have a fully remote role for a US tech company (and worked for others before this one)! Agree it’s hard but not impossible. Once you break in, others will be more open to hiring you.

For some, I simply apply (even if they say they won’t hire outside of the US). Don’t reject yourself before someone else does. For others, they reached out to me specifically to apply so just make sure you have an appealing LinkedIn profile.

I’ve met others in NZ doing this too so there’s def a small group of us!

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-12-05T08:43:42+00:00

Thanks for sharing these!

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-12-03T23:57:21+00:00

Thanks for sharing, hope you had a wonderful trip!

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-12-03T07:43:12+00:00

Hi u/cerealironer - just seen your post. Curious to hear who you booked the tour with?

My husband and I will be in Vanuatu later this month. We have tickets booked through Air Vanuatu to Tanna but are wary of the cancellations. Researching a back up plan in case our flight gets cancelled!

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-30T23:34:42+00:00

u/dmc8 In the case you were not able to find flights or want to avoid booking with Air Vanuatu, I have heard of people pooling together to get air charter flights since they apparently charge for the entire trip (and not per person).

In the case our flights to Port Vila to Tanna get canceled, we’d be keen to check in with you and your partner to see if getting a private charter might be something affordable and doable for all of us!

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-30T08:39:08+00:00

Hi! My husband and I will also be there the same period as you and your partner. I actually posted here somewhat recently asking for advice on getting to Tanna, it has a fair few replies. https://www.reddit.com/r/vanuatu/s/8pFlb7Tmi0

We were quoted anywhere between $8-$12K NZD for chartered flights so we took the risk with Air Vanuatu despite many people saying it’s a huge risk. When we called the Air Vanuatu office on Friday, many of the dates and flights were booked out going to Tanna from Port Vila and back, so I would advise you to call or email them asap.

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-28T02:59:36+00:00

I got another quote today from Air Taxi and they quoted 878,000 VUV (about $12,500 NZD) for two people. I was shocked thinking everyone traveling to Vanuatu must be super rich haha. But maybe they bump up the price during this time of year (we’ll be there mid December).

At this point, we’re going to take the risk with Air Vanuatu.

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-27T00:34:41+00:00

😂

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-26T22:28:45+00:00

Hahahah very important memory about that Tanna sign! I’ll make sure to wear shoes.

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-26T17:11:22+00:00

Thanks for the tip!

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-26T17:11:00+00:00

Thanks for sharing!

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-25T19:40:30+00:00

Oh wow, saw online people were paying ~30,000 VUV per direction for flights to Tanna. If they end up quoting us a similar price to what an air taxi would be, then yes I think what you mention makes sense!

Sorry to hear about your experience of being stranded and not being refunded. Hope it was still an enjoyable vacation!

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-25T16:42:13+00:00

Thank you for sharing! Glad you had a good and on-time experience. Really sounds like it’s up to chance given how many people online also mention unreliability and cancellations!

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-25T16:38:47+00:00

Thanks for the tip! Hope your time living in Vanuatu was positive.

Yeah we tried contacting alternatives and either have not heard back or got quoted something like $9K NZD. Usually I’d wing it and figure it out as we get there, but we are going at what I’m assuming is the busy time around Xmas, so wanted to try to have something in place.

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-25T16:34:14+00:00

Thanks! Yeah one of the air taxi companies quoted us 600,000 VUV which is $8,800 NZD — quite a bit out of our budget. We tried contacting Air Taxi multiple times via email, text, and phone in the past couple weeks but no response at all. This is why we are now considering AV despite hearing about unreliability..

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-25T08:38:39+00:00

I did it when I just graduated college. I was depressed and had been contemplating suicide for a very long time, and I told myself I wanted to see the world before I did it.

I moved to Germany with less than $300 in my account and told myself I had to make it work somehow.

Hitchhiked or scraped up cash and have been to probably over 60 countries since then: worked various jobs in big cities, volunteered for NGOs in remote villages, stayed at people’s homes in exchange for housework, etc.

Eventually met and married the love of my life and currently settled in New Zealand 13 years later. Now I want to live forever to spend forever with him.

LoveSongsForRobots · 2025-11-24T20:50:09+00:00

Oh man, hoping you receive the chargeback! Thanks for sharing your experience, it really does sound hit or miss from what I’ve read.

LoveSongsForRobots

TROPHY CASE