Flag carrier of French Polynesia · Boeing 787-9 belly cargo · South Pacific gateway
Air Tahiti Nui (IATA code TN, ICAO code THT) is the flag carrier of French Polynesia. It was established in December 1996 by resolution of the Assembly of French Polynesia as a local public enterprise majority-owned by the government of French Polynesia. Its first scheduled international route opened in November 1998, linking Los Angeles and Tokyo and ending the territory's complete dependence on foreign carriers for long-haul flights. The airline is headquartered in Papeete and operates from a single hub, Faa'a International Airport (PPT), carrying passengers and cargo between French Polynesia and Oceania, North America and Europe.
The current fleet is four Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners registered F-OMUA, F-ONUI, F-OTOA and F-OVAA, two owned and two leased from Air Lease Corporation. The first was delivered from Charleston in October 2018 and the replacement of the Airbus A340-300 fleet with twin-engine widebodies was completed by September 2019. The 787-9 has a composite fuselage and a large belly hold and is flown under ETOPS 180 rules, combining long-haul passenger service with belly cargo; it is the only type on the Papeete routes to other continents.
The network is built around Papeete, with nonstop flights to Los Angeles (LAX), Tokyo Narita (NRT), Auckland (AKL), Sydney (SYD) and Seattle (SEA); the Paris CDG route stops in Los Angeles on a technical stop before continuing to Europe and is one of the longest domestic-status routes between metropolitan France and French Polynesia. Code-share and interline agreements with international and regional carriers extend the network to about 90 airports and more than 130 routes.
The Papeete to Paris CDG service via Los Angeles takes about 19 hours one way and is the long-haul link between the territory and continental Europe. For shippers in China its value is that Europe-bound cargo stays within the same belly network, avoiding a second carrier in Los Angeles and the extra documentation and space coordination that would involve. Air Tahiti Nui manages its own cargo terminal in Papeete, so unloading, sortation and onward connections for arriving cargo stay within one system.
Air Tahiti Nui has no direct flights to China. Export cargo can connect at Tokyo Narita, Los Angeles or Paris CDG and reach Papeete in 787-9 belly holds. This is one of the few stable long-haul belly options from China to French Polynesia and the South Pacific islands, and it suits volume exports of tourism goods, marine products and project materials.
As the carrier linking the territory with the outside world, Air Tahiti Nui moves a large share of international passengers and belly cargo through Papeete. Its cargo business is entirely belly capacity on passenger flights with no separate freighters, so space is released in step with passenger peaks and troughs and quotas before the tourist high season must be secured early. The airline is well known locally and its arrival clearance and distribution processes are mature, which gives exporters in China a relatively smooth handover at destination.
Commercially, Air Tahiti Nui's main business is bringing visitors to Tahiti, with cargo carried alongside passengers. Belly rates therefore move with passenger demand: space is tight in high season and must be booked early, while low season is looser and suits cost-sensitive volume cargo with moderate transit requirements. Shippers can schedule replenishment cargo in low season and urgent, time-critical cargo in high season.
Air Tahiti Nui has no published own office or cargo sales organisation in China, and no cargo terminal or self-operated ground handling point in the country. For bookings or rates, contact its authorised local agent in China or ask Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited to coordinate.
We confirm space, rates and transhipment requirements under Air Tahiti Nui's connection rules at Tokyo Narita, Los Angeles and Paris CDG, and confirm in writing the acceptance conditions for overweight, oversize and special cargo. Flight times and cargo acceptance notices are published on the airline's website, airtahitinui.com.
Because the airline's sales network in China is limited, shippers should not price a shipment with an overseas station and then arrange the feeder legs themselves, since the connecting space may not be there. We handle the carrier's cargo desk directly, compare rates, secure space and pre-check documents before issuing a booking confirmation, so capacity from the Chinese export airport to Papeete stays under control.
Where a shipper already has a contact at Air Tahiti Nui in Papeete or Los Angeles, we can still handle the booking and transport for the China export leg and share space information with that existing channel to avoid double booking or space conflicts.
Air Tahiti Nui flies its long-haul international routes with a single widebody type, the Boeing 787-9. The aircraft is a twin-engine widebody with a swept wing and carbon-fibre composite fuselage; its lower hold has both bulk space and LD3 container positions and can take general cargo, express shipments and some special cargo without affecting passenger loads. The composite fuselage reduces pressure fluctuations in the cabin and holds, which lowers the risk of damp and deformation on long sectors compared with conventional aircraft.
| Aircraft type | Cargo mode | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 787-9 (4 aircraft) | Belly bulk hold plus LD3 container positions | Long-haul passenger and belly cargo service between Papeete and Los Angeles, Tokyo Narita, Paris, Auckland, Sydney and Seattle |
Note: Air Tahiti Nui operates no freighters, so cargo moves in passenger belly holds; actual space, container specifications and acceptable commodity types are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking.
The 787-9 belly hold keeps bulk volume even with a full passenger cabin, which suits light, bulky cargo such as garments, bags and accessories as well as small and medium lots of high-value goods. Because the type flies under extended-range rules, most departures from Papeete are long nonstop sectors, so belly cargo is not loaded or unloaded en route, reducing damage and mis-sorting from repeated handling.
Air Tahiti Nui has no scheduled flights into Chinese airports and no cargo terminal at a Chinese origin. Export cargo first moves to one of its three connecting hubs and then to Papeete in 787-9 belly holds. The table lists the main connection points and what they mean for shippers; times are local, schedules vary by season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking.
| Connecting hub | Airport code | Connection direction | What it means for Chinese shippers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo Narita | NRT | Narita to and from Papeete | Shortest transit for cargo from northeast and east China via Japan; suits time-critical express shipments |
| Los Angeles | LAX | Los Angeles to and from Papeete, connecting to Paris | Shared hub for North America and Europe bound cargo, with dense frequencies |
| Paris Charles de Gaulle | CDG | Via Los Angeles to and from Papeete | Transhipment point for Europe-bound cargo that continues to the European network |
Note: Narita to Papeete runs about twice weekly and Los Angeles to Papeete is more frequent; Auckland, Sydney and Seattle are supplementary regional and North American points. Frequencies and times change with the season and the carrier's published timetable applies.
In practice, shippers choose the hub by destination. Cargo from east and north China goes through Tokyo Narita for the shorter sector and controllable connection time; cargo from south China can leave via Guangzhou or Shenzhen and connect at Los Angeles to use the dense North American frequencies; Europe-bound cargo routes through Los Angeles to Paris CDG. We recommend the combination with the lowest total cost for the origin airport and transit requirement.
Through the Air Tahiti Nui hubs, export cargo from China reaches the following markets. The first is French Polynesia, entered at Papeete and then forwarded by regional carrier Air Tahiti to the inner islands of Bora Bora, Moorea, Rangiroa, Huahine, Raiatea, Nuku Hiva and Mangareva, covering the Society, Tuamotu, Marquesas and Austral groups. The second is the US west coast, mainly Los Angeles and Seattle, for air-to-air transhipment of North American import and export cargo.
The third is France and continental Europe, via Los Angeles to Paris CDG, an alternative China to Europe routing that can absorb overflow when main Europe capacity is tight. The fourth is Oceania, through Auckland and Sydney, serving the South Pacific island markets.
For shippers of South Pacific tourism goods, black pearls and marine handicrafts, seafood, supplies for tropical flower growers, outdoor equipment and construction materials, the network offers stable belly capacity beyond direct flights; after transhipment at Tokyo Narita or Los Angeles, cargo reaches Papeete in volume for restocking by local retailers, restaurants, hotels and construction projects.
On the return leg the network carries French Polynesian black pearls, coconut products, coffee and handicrafts out of Papeete and into Chinese ports via Los Angeles or Narita. For shippers running two-way trade, we can hold return belly allocations on the same routes to balance use in both directions.
Geographically, the gap is that the network does not reach the east coast of South America or Africa directly, though both can be reached via Los Angeles or Auckland on partner carriers. For onward moves from China through the South Pacific to South America or Australia and New Zealand, we combine Air Tahiti Nui with regional partner belly capacity on a single through air waybill to the consignee.
Humidity and pressure in the 787-9 belly are gentler than on conventional aircraft, which suits long-haul shipments of textiles, electronic parts, cosmetics and tourism goods. The composite fuselage reduces pressure swings in the cabin and holds, cutting the risk of damp and deformation on high-value fragile cargo over long sectors.
As the national carrier, Air Tahiti Nui is closely involved in ground handling at its Papeete hub, so arrival distribution and inter-island connections run smoothly. Booking through us gives shippers one air-to-air solution from the Chinese export airport to Papeete, avoiding broken connections and duplicate paperwork from booking each hub separately.
An interline agreement with regional carrier Air Tahiti also lets arriving cargo move straight onto inter-island ATR flights, so one booking covers the final leg to the inner islands and cuts the cost of a second handling step in Papeete.
A further value for shippers is the substitute option. When mainstream Europe and US belly capacity is squeezed in high season, the routing through Tokyo Narita or Los Angeles to Papeete can take overflow and keep time-critical cargo moving instead of missing delivery dates on a full primary lane.
On service continuity, the small single-type fleet means crews and ground staff know the 787-9 well and the airline can reposition aircraft with little internal coordination. For shippers who need a steady weekly restock, that simple fleet structure makes on-time performance and space availability comparatively predictable, which helps production and inventory planning.
Shippers exporting to French Polynesia through Air Tahiti Nui should work with a forwarder that can book international air freight in one place. Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited handles the following: it reviews the commodity, pieces, weight, dimensions and transit requirement to judge whether the 787-9 belly can take the cargo; confirms available space and rates at Tokyo Narita, Los Angeles or Paris CDG; arranges the feeder leg from the Chinese export airport and completes export clearance and documentation; and notifies the consignee or arranges the inner-island transfer after arrival in Papeete.
Before booking, shippers should have the commercial invoice, packing list and export clearance documents ready. Cargo with batteries, liquids, powders or perishables requires a cargo description seven working days in advance so the carrier's acceptance can be obtained before shipment and a return after arrival avoided. For regular restocking clients we hold belly allocations against a fixed schedule, which removes the uncertainty of ad hoc booking.
Once the booking is confirmed, the shipper delivers the cargo to the nominated export bonded facility by the documentation cut-off we advise, where it is weighed, labelled and screened for handover. After departure we give the shipper the air waybill number, the transit points and the estimated arrival time so the consignee can plan pickup. If a flight changes we advise alternative space and the new estimated arrival immediately.
For a first shipment on this routing we suggest a small trial consignment to test the connection and arrival transit time, then scaling up once actual clearance and inner-island delivery performance is known. During the trial we track every milestone and produce a transport record the shipper can review internally.
Shippers can also state special handling requirements at booking, such as moisture protection, shock protection or stacking limits. We put these on the booking documents and pass them to the ground handler to reduce damage from incorrect handling in transit.
The Air Tahiti Nui belly hold takes general cargo, express shipments and some precision instruments on long sectors. For temperature-controlled cargo the carrier makes no published active temperature-control commitment, so standard packing should be used with the temperature range noted on the documents. Overweight and oversize pieces must be declared separately and the carrier decides acceptance against 787-9 hold door dimensions and loading conditions.
The airline publishes no freighter charter channel. Where there is volume demand, we can obtain quotes and coordinate consolidated belly space on passenger flights. For high-value cargo we recommend the shipper take out cargo insurance; we can issue the manifest and transport documents needed for a claim.
For the pre-season restocking peak we can spread cargo across belly space on different frequencies to avoid overloading a single flight. Cargo for the inner islands can be booked onward on regional inter-island belly capacity at the same time, giving a continuous air chain from the Chinese airport to the inner islands.
Exhibits, samples and urgent top-up shipments can be given priority handover once belly space is confirmed, with the documents marked as urgent so the ground handler loads them first. Actual transit depends on the carrier's operating cycle and we advise the expected arrival window at booking. Where customs inspection is likely on arrival, we prepare document copies in advance and work with the Papeete agent to release the goods.
Air Tahiti Nui has no direct flight from China to Papeete. Export cargo moves to Tokyo Narita, Los Angeles or Paris CDG and then to Papeete in 787-9 belly holds, all the way by air-to-air connection with no nonstop leg. We plan the routing, secure the feeder space and recommend the lowest total cost combination for the origin airport.
The belly hold mainly carries general cargo, express shipments, textiles, electronic parts and tourism goods, with both bulk space and LD3 positions. Batteries, liquids, powders and perishables must be declared in advance and accepted by the carrier; overweight and oversize pieces need hold door and loading conditions confirmed first. The composite fuselage keeps pressure swings in the hold small, which suits high-value fragile cargo.
Yes. Faa'a airport in Papeete is the gateway to French Polynesia, and arriving cargo can continue on Air Tahiti ATR turboprop flights to Bora Bora, Moorea, Rangiroa, Nuku Hiva and other islands. One booking with us covers the final leg, removing a second handling step, and we advise the expected arrival time on the inter-island sector.
Air Tahiti Nui has no own cargo office in China. Obtain rates through an authorised channel such as Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, which can confirm hub connection space, rates and acceptance conditions and issue the booking confirmation; regular clients can hold belly allocations against the schedule, and two to three weeks ahead is advisable before the tourist high season.
Frequencies between Narita or Los Angeles and Papeete change with the season. Times given are local reference times and the carrier's published timetable on the day of booking governs. We confirm the latest frequency in writing before booking and align arrival distribution and inner-island connections, and advise alternative space immediately if a flight changes.
Information compiled by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited. Flight times are local, schedules change with the season and are subject to carrier confirmation on the day of booking. Contact: Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, website https://goodhope86.com, email info@goodhope86.com. The Air Tahiti Nui name and marks belong to their owner and are used only to describe cargo connection services; enquiries are welcome.