International flights

Singapore also does not require pre-departure testing for passengers transiting through Singapore onto flights to other international destinations. 

However, ANG said: “Should your final destination require a pre-departure test, evidence of this will need to be shown at check-in.

In a statement, Air Niugini said all passengers should proceed directly to the departure check in through the main terminal entrance.

“If travelling to Singapore, Hong Kong or Manila, or transiting to a country that requires a negative certificate, you must bring the certificate to the airport with you.”

The certificate must be issued by a doctor and include at least the following information:

For passengers who have been vaccinated in PNG, they are required to produce the yellow International Vaccination Certificate which is issued by the PNG National Department of Health.  

The green domestic vaccination certificate is not sufficient.

The Delta variant of COVID-19 (also known as B16172), which was first detected in India in October last year, is becoming the dominant variant of the disease worldwide.

It is spreading rapidly across the globe and is now present in at least 92 countries including Australia, Indonesia, Singapore and even Pacific Island nation Fiji.

Mr Manning said the National Control Centre as a responsible organization tasked with the country’s COVID-19 response is closely monitoring developments in countries around the world including Australia and Fiji.

The Munda airfield, which has been developed with tens of millions of dollars of New Zealand aid over the past seven years, is close to completion.

The airport is being developed as an emergency alternate to Honiara and to try and foster tourism in Western Province.

The New Zealand high commissioner to Solomon Islands, Don Higgins, said that over the next couple of months the focus would be on installing navigational aids and ground lighting, and ensuring fire trucks and trained crew were in place.

He said once this was done, Solomon Airlines planned to fly in.