Nadzab Airport

The resumption of Fokker flights has been made possible as National Airports Corporation (NAC) continue to progress with the present runway works, which are now at the stage where the runway is long enough to cater for ANG’s Fokker 100 aircraft.

“Work on the new terminal building at Nadzab is also well underway,” said the airline.

Since the works on the airport runway commenced last year, Air Niugini’s subsidiary, Link PNG, has been operating to Nadzab airport using smaller Dash-8 aircraft, but with passenger numbers restricted.

Morobe Governor, Ginson Saonu, made this statement in response to concerns raised by the Gabsongkeg community.

Nadzab Airport, the gateway to PNG’s industrial hub, is located in Morobe’s Wampar LLG of the Huon Gulf district.

Traditionally, it belonged to the people of Gabsongkeg who, to date, are yet to access running water and electricity.

The Gabsongkeg community said they were taken by surprise when Saonu announced that Morobe’s airport will soon be known as the Sir Michael Thomas Somare International Airport.

There are better ways to honour Late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare then to rename Nadzab Airport, which has cultural and historical ties to the people of Wampar LLG in the Huon Gulf district.

According to police reports, the Grade Six student of St Paul's Lutheran Primary School was in a Suzuki station wagon, driving towards the airport after doing their marketing at Nadzab market.

While on their way there, they met a Toyota Land Cruiser that was travelling into town, allegedly at high speed.

Noel Tumpi, a detective senior constable, OIC Airport Police at Nadzab, says this festive period should be taken as a time of reflection.

Tumpi challenged on people to evaluate themselves and see if they have  achieved an aim or objective.

He says as a policeman he is challenged to be mindful of the years clocking away and working to achieve something that is reflective of the life span of his career. 

Taking off from Gurney, Alotau, the flight took 1 hour and ten minutes and touched down smoothly at Nadzab airport in Lae.

The aircraft spent an hour on the runway while being refuelled before taking to the skies again for Madang.

This is the second time the P2-ATR has visited Lae with the P2-ATR making its inaugural flight into the Morobe Province yesterday.

The P2-ATR will be flying 5 flights to Lae a week. This will increase as the months progress after the arrival of Air PNG's second aircraft in the ATR fleet.