The inaugural Southern Airlines Flight to Port Moresby is expected to arrive at the Jackson’s Airport in Port Moresby tomorrow, Wednesday 20th of December 2023. National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has left for Ghuanzhou via Hong Kong yesterday, to join Minister for Transport & Civil Aviation Walter Schnaubelt, to join the inaugural Flight. In a post shared on his socials before his departure, the Governor expressed that this is an initiative that they have been pushing in the city, under the global branding Amazing Port Moresby. This initiative is to promote business, investment, trade links and more importantly for tourism in Port Moresby. “I acknowledge the leadership of our Prime Minister, Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, Minister for International Trade and Investment Hon Richard Maru.” Ghuanzhou is the capital of Guandong Province. This Province is the industrial heart land of China, and its GDP is bigger than the entire Russian Federation. It has a population of 120million, and it accounts for 60 percent of the tourist from China, now the world biggest tourist market. China Southern Airlines is one of the two biggest Airlines in China and is among the top 5 in the world. It has 920 jets flying all around the world daily and it has been flying to Australia and New Zealand for quite some time now. Governor Parkop said apart from improving the trade and other links with China it is his opinion that once we have China Southern Airlines on board, we can invite them to take out at least 40 percent stake in Air Niugini while we sell 10 percent to the Super Funds. “This is the best way to recapitalize Air Niugini rather the usual passing the burden to the public to pay.” “This is a model Fiji Airlines has adopted with Qantas and New Zealand Air taking out 49 percent, making it a viable and profitable airline.” He said the goal under the Amazing Port Moresby brand is to tap on the tourist market of Guangdong and China generally. “But tourists coming to Port Moresby and on to the provinces also need a reliable domestic airline to guarantee tourist return on time to take their international connections.” “A deal with China Southern as I am proposing will be a real goer as any loss or hiccups in Air Niugini either domestic or international will not be a problem to China Airlines.” “They can underwrite any initial and occasional hiccups. It will be a real deal.” “I will be pushing for this deal and mechanism for recapitalization of Air Niugini.” “We can’t keep on doing same thing expecting a different outcome.”