Rabaul Services Will Be Temporarily Operated By Dash 8 From 22nd February 2019

Air Niugini services to Tokua airport, Rabaul East New Britain Province will be temporarily operated by Dash 8 aircraft instead of Fokker due to urgent maintenance works on the runway.

The National Airports Corporation has advised that the runway maintenance will commence effective on Friday 22nd February with the initial works commencing on the night of 21st February and will continue until the 02nd April, subject to weather conditions. During this period all services to Rabaul will be operated by Dash 8 , the aircraft type that’s operated by Air Niugini’s sister company Link PNG.

Details of the schedule changes are as follows :

1. All flights between Hoskins/Rabaul/Hoskins and Rabaul/Port Moresby/Rabaul will be operated by Dash 8 aircraft. There will be a number of extra “shuttle” flights between Rabaul and Hoskins each day to connect with additional Fokker services at Hoskins
2. Flights between Kavieng/Rabaul will instead operate Kavieng/Hoskins on Fokker aircraft connecting Hoskins/Rabaul on Dash 8. Likewise flights between Rabaul/Kavieng will instead operate Rabaul/Hoskins on Dash 8, and then connect Hoskins/Kavieng on Fokker aircraft
3. Flights between Buka/Rabaul will instead operate Buka/Hoskins on Fokker connecting Hoskins/Rabaul on Dash 8. Likewise flights between Rabaul/Buka will instead operate Rabaul/Hoskins on Dash 8, and then connect Hoskins/Buka on Fokker
4. The flights between Lae/Rabaul will operate Lae/Hoskins on Fokker, connecting Hoskins/Rabaul on Dash 8. Similarly flights between Rabaul/Lae will instead operate Rabaul/Hoskins on Dash 8 and then connect Hoskins/Lae on Fokker
5. PX274 & PX275 presently operating Port Moresby/Rabaul/Kavieng overnight and return the following day, will instead operate Port Moresby/Hoskins/Kavieng overnight and return the following day Kavieng/Hoskins/Port Moresby. A Dash 8 will provide the connecting Hoskins/Rabaul and Rabaul/Hoskins services
6. The present PX244/241 services between Port Moresby/Hoskins and return the following day will be combined with PX274/275 during the period of the Tokua runway maintenance
7. PX252 currently operating Port Moresby/Rabaul/Buka will instead operate Port Moresby/Hoskins/Buka and PX253 operating Buka/Rabaul/Port Moresby will operate Buka/Hoskins/Port Moresby. A Dash 8 will provide the connecting Hoskins/Rabaul and Rabaul/Hoskins services
8. PX208/PX209 presently operating Port Moresby/Lae/Hoskins/Rabaul/Hoskins/Lae/Port Moresby will be replaced by a Fokker service PX240/243/242/245 operating Port Moresby/Hoskins/Lae/Hoskins/Port Moresby. A Dash 8 will provide the connecting Hoskins/Rabaul and Rabaul/Hoskins services
9. There will be daily Dash 8 direct flights Port Moresby/Rabaul and Rabaul/Port Moresby with the aircraft to stay overnight in Rabaul
10. The daily afternoon Goroka service will be operated by Fokker 70 instead of Dash-8 aircraft
11. Daru service on Tuesdays will operate on Wednesday instead

There are a number of associated time changes with all these flights to allow for connections including time changes for flights to Popondetta,Wapenamanda and Tari due to the changes above.