Prime Minister James Marape has assured the traveling Papua New Guinean public that he would get the two ministers jointly responsible for Air Niugini to look into the possible review of fees and extra charges that the airline company is imposing upon tickets.
The Prime Minister said while the Government cannot interfere with the costs of the tickets because of Air Niugini’s ‘cost structure’, fees and charges, however, could be looked at and he would get the ministers for State-owned Enterpise and Transport & Civil Aviation to look into the matter.
Prime Minister Marape was responding to Member for Menyamya Hon. Solen Loifa yesterday (011222) in Parliament during Questions Without Notice when the Member asked for some reprieve in the fees the airline is charging on top of already-expensive airline tickets.
“Air Niugini has a cost structure and requirements to operate at a certain level. For the ticket costs, we cannot influence too much. “
But if there is any space in giving relief to the public, we can ask Air Niugini.
“For some of these fees associated to the ticket, I will get the Minister for State-Owned Enterprise and the Minister for Transport & Civil Aviation to see into these fees that are built into the costs. Then we will get back to the Member and the people,” PM Marape said.