National airline, Air Niugini received a cheque worth K70million from the Treasury Minister, Hon. Patrick Pruaitch in Port Moresby today.(Mon 08th Dec)

Minister Pruaitch in presenting the cheque to Air Niugini Board Chairman, Sir James Tjoeng and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr Wasantha Kumarasiri said the K70 million was part of the Government’s 2008 supplementary budget. A further K30million has also been allocated to Air Niugini as part of the 2008 National budget.

Minister Pruaitch said most of these monies, (K70million) will go towards covering the initial deposits of purchasing Air Niugini’s new aircraft, a Boeing 787 Dream liner.

Air Niugini as a State owned enterprise is allocated funds from the National Government annually to ensure it re-fleets its aircraft. The airline has so far in the last two years introduced six Fokker 100 aircraft and six Dash 8 aircraft to improve its domestic services.

Sir James and Mr Kumarasiri in receiving the cheque have thanked the National Government for the allocation of K70million to the airline.

While most of these monies will go towards covering the airline’s future aircraft requirement, they said international traveler to and from Papua New Guinea will have the privilege to experience the technologically advanced and improved comfort of a Boeing 787 aircraft in the near future -subject to Boeing delivery schedule.

In October this year, Air Niugini was on the verge of suspending its services to Japan due to non profitability and lack of external support, however, the National Government stepped in and assured to assist with a K12million subsidy. This is expected to come out in the future budget.

Air Niugini currently has a total 18 aircraft in its fleet and operates to 28 destinations including 10 international and 18 domestic. The international destinations include Cairns, Brisbane and Sydney in Australia, Honiara in Solomon Islands, Nadi(Fiji), Singapore, Manila(Philippines), Hong Kong, Narita(Japan) and the latest inclusion of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia which was only opened on the 29th of October.

Four of the total 18 aircraft provide services on the international routes. They include a Boeing 767, a Boeing 757, an Embraer 190 &an Embraer 145 aircraft. The 18 domestic routes are being serviced by six Fokker 100 and 8 Dash8 aircraft.