By MALUM NALU
Air Niugini will begin regular flights to Daru, Western province, on Thursday, June 21, 2012, after a 12-year absence which has seen airfares between Daru and Port Moresby rise to among the highest in the country.
This was confirmed today (Sunday, June 10), by Air Niugini corporate affairs manager Eva Arni.
The schedule will be twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays and lowest one way fare is K352.20 - a big drop from the K999 currently charged by Airlines PNG.
Air Niugini will begin regular flights to Daru, Western province, on Thursday, June 21, 2012, after a 12-year absence which has seen airfares between Daru and Port Moresby rise to among the highest in the country.
This was confirmed today (Sunday, June 10), by Air Niugini corporate affairs manager Eva Arni.
The schedule will be twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays and lowest one way fare is K352.20 - a big drop from the K999 currently charged by Airlines PNG.
Air Niugini acting general manager-commercial, Dominic
Kaumu, confirmed to me in Daru on Friday, June 1, after one of its Q400 aircraft
landed there to break the 12-year drought, that the airlines would resume flights later this month,
 |
| A proud moment...Captain Tauedea Ugava, who flew us on the Air Niugini Q400 to and from Daru on Friday, June 1, with PNGSDP CEO David Sode after the historic Q400 landing in Daru, which heralded the return of Air Niugini to Daru after 12 long years of suffering for the people of Daru and Western province. |
Hundreds of people lined up the perimeter of Daru Airport on June 1 to
watch the Q400 land with many openly shedding tears of joy.
The last Air Niugini flight to Daru was on March 4, 2000,
after which it had to stop services because of the unsafe state of the runway.
The Q400 was able to land because of a K40
million airport upgrade funded 50-50 by PNG Sustainable Development Program
(PNGSDP) and Fly River provincial government through South Fly funding, with
construction undertaken by Global Construction and supervised by National
Airports Corporation.
Airlines PNG has had a virtual monopoly in the Daru-Port
Moresby route over the last 12 years, with airfares now being K999 one way.
Kaumu said in Daru that Air Niugini fares would
be cheaper than Airlines PNG, however, could not disclose the figures.
“We will begin operations about mid-June,” he said.
“We will be using the Dash 8 to Daru.
“We will also be using the Q400, but at a reduced capacity
(passengers) because of the length of the runway.
“At this stage, not daily (flights), but at least three
flights a week and we build up from there.
“I’ve spoken to a number of people and the information we’re
getting is that everyone wants Air Niugini back.”
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