Islands Business - Aviation: AIR NIUGINI, AIR PACIFIC IN CODESHARE DEAL

PNG national airline to acquire a B767 jet

Elenoa Baselala
Air Niugini and Air Pacific are expected to announce sometime this month their codeshare arrangements for routes currently experiencing low levels of passenger demand.

Wasantha Kumarasiri... Air Niugini’s CEO.

Air Pacific’s chief executive, John Campbell, confirmed that discussions were currently underway between the two airlines.

“Air Pacific will be able to assist Air Niugini with the carriage of business from points in the South Pacific, for example Auckland via Nadi to Port Moresby, as opposed to the more traditional routes via Brisbane to Port Moresby, often requiring an overnight stay in Brisbane.

“We expect to conclude codeshare arrangements in May and will announce an effective date for codeshare operations once the preparations are complete,” Campbell said.

Air Niugini began its service to Fiji on March 27 operating a two-class service on its 100-seat Fokker 100 aircraft including eight business class seats on the route.

The service is from Nadi via Honiara in both directions twice a week on Friday and Sunday from Port Moresby to Nadi and returning on Saturday and Monday.

The flight schedule provides great opportunities for tourism to Papua New Guinea and business and leisure travel to Fiji as well as alternative and convenient options for travel via Nadi to the United States, New Zealand and other Pacific Islands destinations.

Recently, the airline announced connections to Singapore and Tokyo.

An added convenience for residents of Papua New Guinea and Fiji travelling to either country is that they are able to have their visitor’s visa processed on arrival.

Campbell welcomes the airline’s service between Port Moresby and Nadi but does not believe that a vast number of customers will travel via Port Moresby to Tokyo or from Tokyo via Port Moresby to Nadi as the majority of customers prefer non stop services.

“Undoubtedly, there will be some trickle of customers on this service.

“The volume of demand between Fiji, the Pacific and Singapore is relatively low. But Port Moresby will offer an alternative route for those customers who do not wish to purchase a transit visa via Australia or who are unable to travel via Australia to connect to Singapore,” he says.

Air Pacific normally operates three flights a week to Tokyo but has cut that back to two. This will be reviewed next month.

Meanwhile, Air Niugini will increase its fleet with the purchase of a new Boeing 767 and Fokker 100 aircraft to complement its regional expansion programme.

Quoting PNG’s Minister for State Enterprises, Arthur Somare, Post Courier reported that the airline will commence its re-fleeting programme when commissioning upgrading work on Wewak’s Boram Airport.

Somare said the airline had completed negotiations to acquire a new Boeing 767 to cater for more international flights but did not reveal where the funds for the purchase would come from.

Airline chief executive, Wasantha Kumarasiri told Post Courier the Boeing 767 was currently operated by the Royal Brunei Airlines and negotiations were expected to be concluded soon. The new jet is expected to take on some routes currently being serviced by the airline’s only other Boeing 767 aircraft, which is registered in Air Niugini colours as P2ANG.

On the acquisition of the Fokker 100 aircraft, Kumarasiri said the transaction with a Netherlands company was complete and the plane would be delivered soon.

The airline’s Dash 8 re-fleeting programme has also been completed and the last aircraft was going through a check at its Port Moresby hangar before it is released for service.

The PNG government has indicated that several airports including Enga Province’s Wapenamanda would be upgraded to cater for bigger aircraft and direct flights from overseas.

Air Niugini is also planning to begin a Cairns-Kokopo (East New Britain) service later this year.