PNG's Air Niugini Further Cuts Mt Hagen Flight Capacity

 Papua New Guinea's national flag carrier AIR Niugini has further reduced the number of passengers it can carry on flights to and from Mt Hagen as runway maintenance at Kagamuga Airport enters its latest stage, with only 18 passengers now permitted on each service.

The airline said the Stage 5 works, which began on Monday, September 21, have shortened the usable section of the runway and forced it to restrict operations to its smaller Dash-8-200 aircraft. The restrictions are expected to remain until about October 5, when Stage 6 of the runway programme begins.

Air Niugini said the reduced capacity was necessary to ensure its aircraft continue to operate within safety requirements approved by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and aircraft manufacturers.

Under the current arrangement, passengers travelling from Mt Hagen will face limited seating availability, particularly as the airline works around the reduced runway length.

The carrier said it would continue serving the Western Highlands capital and surrounding Highlands communities despite the restrictions, while maintaining the required operational safety margins.

Passengers unable to obtain seats on flights from Mt Hagen have been advised to consider travelling through Goroka or Lae.

Air Niugini has increased its Goroka schedule from two to three flights a day to help meet passenger demand. It is also maintaining up to five daily services between Lae and other destinations using Boeing 737 and Airbus A220 aircraft.

The airline said the next stage of the runway programme, expected to begin around October 5, should allow the slightly larger Dash-8-300 aircraft to resume operations into Kagamuga, although passenger numbers will still be restricted.

Air Niugini is also working with the National Airports Corporation as the runway improvement project progresses, with plans to return Boeing 737 and Airbus A220 jet services to Kagamuga once the upgrade is completed later this year.

The airline expects the larger aircraft operations to resume in time for the Christmas travel period.

Air Niugini acknowledged that the temporary measures would inconvenience some travellers but said the runway project was important for the long-term improvement of airport facilities and future airline operations in Mt Hagen.

“Safety remains our highest priority and will never be compromised.”

The airline thanked passengers for their patience and cooperation while the runway works continue and apologised for the inconvenience caused by the temporary restrictions.