A DE Havilland Dash 8 Q400 aircraft silently touched down at the Jackson Airport on Saturday after making a four-day trip from Victoria in Australia, Canada, to Port Moresby.
The new environmentally friendly aircraft, with low emission and low fuel consumption, will play a crucial role in improving Air Niugini’s operating efficiency and schedule reliability on domestic routes, Air Niugini chief operating officer Gary Seddon said.
Seddon said the aircraft’s advanced technology and versatility are ideally suited for PNG’s operational needs ensuring that Air Niugini continues to provide safe, efficient and reliable services to the people of Papua New Guinea.
The new aircraft brings to 25 (including the Falcon Jet) the number of aircrafts on the national carrier’s fleet.
Air Niugini has 11 Dash 8 including its latest acquisition.
The aircraft was purchased under the Public Investment Programme (PIP) at a cost of US$7 million (about K27 million).
Seddon said: “This is a significant milestone for our airline as it has been more than ten years since we last purchased an aircraft.”
He told media that this acquisition was a testament to Air Niugini’s commitment to improving and expanding its services across Papua New Guinea.
“This purchase would not have been possible without the generous support of the Marape/Rosso Government, through the PIP-funding and the invaluable assistance of Kumul Consolidated Holdings,” he said.
