Papua New Guinea Travel

With the first aircraft undergoing its maiden voyage throughout the country in the coming days, plans are underway to bring in 12 more.

The ATR aircraft seats up to 74 passengers and will replace the Havilland Canada DHC-8-100 Dash 8 fleet for Airlines PNG, now trading as PNG Air.

The second plane will arrive next month. Three more arrive in 2016 in March, June and November. These will include business class seating.

PNG Air chief executive officer Muralee Siva said their long term plan is to become a full ATR operator by 2020.

Today senior staff and media were the first to board its’ maiden flight the ATR 72 aircraft to Nadzab, Lae from Port Moresby.

The flight took 45 minutes - almost the same as Air Niugini’s F100 travel time.

There is definitely competition in the skies with PNG Air spreading its wings to take local media to all its’ nationwide destinations over 11 days.