Air Niugini’s inaugural Safety Day was hailed a success with full participation from employees to raise awareness on the importance of safety and also to recognize the unsung safety heroes, who are the employees responsible for the safe dispatch of flights and the safety of passengers who fly with Air Niugini. The event, held last Friday outside the airline's headquarters at 7mile in Port Moresby, focused on general aviation safety and security awareness for employees both at work and at home. It also enabled employees to break down silos by facilitating genuine interactions about safety. To mark the day, twelve sections representing different departments at Air Niugini set up booths and had the opportunity to educate and inform their colleagues about the various safety processes, procedures, and equipment used at their workplace Each department contributes significantly to Air Niugini’s safety-first approach and is committed to excellence in aviation safe Air Niugini’s Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Gary Seddon officially launched the event and highlighted safety as an uncompromised priority for Air Niugini. “Aviation safety and security is paramount in everything we do, our dedicated Air Niugini men and women are our priority, our valued passengers are our priority, our aircraft are our priority, safety is everything and what we do is important.” “We are very proud of what we achieve each day at Air Niugini, creating a culture that encourages an open responsible compliant approach to safety; a first for Air Niugini.” The inaugural Air Niugini Safety Day also honored the airline's unsung safety heroes, including employees who contribute to safety through their actions and ideas. Those acknowledged came from Ground Operations, Engineering, and Flight. Also during the day’s event, employees raised safety concerns with the Acting CEO and management on mental health issues and the need for appropriate tools, because it is an important aspect of safety as well. Apart from Air Niugini employees, the event also included the participation of PNG Fire Service and St John Ambulance PNG, who educated Air Niugini employees on best practice emergency responses and preparedness. The PNG Fire Services conducted rescue, emergency, and fire drills, showing employees how to use a fire extinguisher, which was an eye-opener for some who had never used one before. St John Ambulance covered critical first aid procedures, emergency medical response tactics, and life-saving skills to prepare attendees for a wide range of health-related emergencies. In addition, the Air Niugini in-house clinic provided complimentary basic health checks, as part of the company’s commitment to promoting health and safety. The Safety, Quality, Risk and Audit Department's Chief, Ms. Pamela Waringe in her closing remarks said the Safety Day signifies the collective efforts of the various departments in a collaborative approach to awareness of safety. “Safety is not merely a checklist or a set of procedures—it’s a mindset, a culture, and a way of life. It’s the collective heartbeat that ensures our passengers, crew, and aircraft soar through the skies with confidence,” she said. “Let us carry the spirit of Safety Day beyond these walls; let it permeate our operations, our interactions, and our dreams of safer skies as we expand. Together, we’ll continue to uphold the highest standards, because safety isn’t just our job—it’s our legacy.” The Air Niugini Safety Day was organized by the airline’s Safety, Quality, Risk and Audit Department and was live streamed, giving the airline’s staff in the outer- ports the opportunity also to see the Safety Day activities. The Air Niugini Safety Day is now planned to be held annually.