PNG Air

PNG Air said it will continue to work with the provincial administrator to be able to provide a service to the people of Esa’ala District in the near future.  

“The closest port to Esa’ala where we operate three (3) times a week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday – is Losuia, Kiriwina.

“Should new information become available, PNG Air will advise accordingly.

“PNG Air thanks the people of Papua New Guinea for your continuous support and understanding in this matter.”

Passengers are no longer required to complete Air Passenger Travel Forms (APTF); however they will be issued health forms at the time of check-in to complete and present to health officers upon arrival at their respective destinations.

The issuance of facemasks at gate checks will continue.

“In-flight catering will remain suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions; therefore, we recommend passengers have a meal before your flight,” says the airline.

“PNG Air will continue to provide affordable fares to the people of PNG.

Upon arrival, the PNG Air flight CG8582 was welcomed by a Tari singsing group.

PNG Air Acting Chief Commercial Officer, Nancy Nakikus, said: “PNG Air is happy to reconnect a needed service to our Tari-Pori, Hela family. Since the closure of the Tari Airport, the people of Tari have had to drive long distances to the Mt Hagen and Komo airports to catch a flight.

In a statement, the airline says it will maintain the domestic schedule in compliance to the new measures and will uplift passengers approved by the Controller.

All intending passengers who wish to travel with PNG Air must:

In a statement, NASFUND says the decision by the Board of Directors to accept the offer is a purely commercial decision and is in the best interest of the Fund and its members.

NASFUND holds 39.29% of the total shares on issue and is the largest institutional investor in PNG Air.

Since 2008 NASFUND has invested in PNG Air K76 million, comprising of K31 million in equity and K45 million as a loan provided to PNG Air as part of rescue packages given between 2016 and 2017 by the major shareholders.

Air Niugini CEO, Bruce Alabaster, assured that PNG Air will remain a separate corporate entity, maintain its own brand, and that there will not be any job losses.

Alabaster explained these following misconceptions that the proposal was a merger.

Air Niugini CEO, Bruce Alabaster, says the proposal to purchase 40% of NASFUNDs shareholding in PNG Air is just that, and there was no merger.

General Manager Alex Kia said: “It is absolutely our intent that PNG shall continue to have two separate airlines, PNG Air and Air Niugini, and that there will continue to be a strong, competitive domestic market with options for travelers.”

Link PNG intends that this will be achieved by means of a joint operating agreement between the airlines, which will ensure PNG Air continues to service its customers under its existing brand and at its own prices. 

“It will be a terrible move which will be extremely detrimental to the travelling public of Papua New Guinea as there will be no competition,” said the airline.

“In a monopoly, price of airfares will rise, efficiency will decrease and Link PNG, through its holding company Air Niugini, will have absolute power to dictate to the travelling public how, when and where they will travel in the future.  

Nasfund’s Board has approved the sale of its shares in PNG Air to Link PNG, subject to Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) and other required approvals.

Link PNG aims to strengthen the air network across PNG while ensuring the viability of the country’s second biggest airline at a time when airlines around the world are struggling to survive due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The same offer will be extended to all of PNG Air’s shareholders.

PNG Air flight CG1744 made a grand entrance into Buka at 1100hrs; all passengers obtained clearance by AROB SoE Controller prior to travelling.

“Passengers who choose to travel to Buka must contact the AROB SoE Controller directly by emailing arobcovid19occ@gmail.com and present written approval at time of purchasing a ticket,” said PNG Air.

“Upon arrival, all passengers will undertake mandatory 14-day quarantine.