“Our top priority at Air Niugini is ensuring the highest levels of safety for our passengers, crew, and the public.”
“We are fully committed to this goal and will take all necessary measures to maintain safety standards.”
That’s from Air Niugini’s Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gary Seddon, following recent flight delays and queries from the traveling public.
“This includes the possibility of delaying or cancelling a flight due to factors such as bad weather, security issues, technical problems, or operational requirements.”
Seddon said that the airline’s dedication to safety is unwavering and will not compromise for any reason.
“While the inconvenience caused is regrettable, safety will always be given priority over other interests.”
Seddon added that the company boasted a team of highly skilled engineers and maintenance personnel who are dedicated to safety and work tirelessly day and night to ensure that the aircrafts are safe to operate.
“Since April of last year, Air Niugini has operated over 26,000 flights and carried 1.2 million passengers.”
“Last month, they operated over 2,000 flights and carried 102 thousand passengers.”
“With 92.21% of sectors completed, over 7% of the flights were cancelled, for various reasons.
Over the same period, Jetstar cancelled 6.4% of its flights, Qantas 4.4% and Virgin Australia 3.5%.”
He added, “While the Fokker jets have served the country well, it’s time to replace them with larger modern aircraft that features the latest technology with enhanced fuel efficiency.”
In addition, Seddon stated that Air Niugini has reviewed various new fleet options narrowing the selection to the new Airbus A220 and Embraer E2 regional jets.
“This will enable Air Niugini to better serve its domestic and regional markets.”
Meanwhile, in the interim, Air Niugini is in the process of acquiring six Boeing 737-800 and Dash 8 Q400 aircraft, expected from September this year.