PNG Air

PNG Air

IATA ICAO Callsign CG TOK BALUS
Founded	1987 (As Milne Bay Air)
Hubs	Jacksons International Airport
Fleet size	23
Destinations	28
Headquarters	Jacksons International Airport Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Key people	Murray Woo (chairman) Muralee Siva (CEO)
Website	www.pngair.com.pg

PNG Air is an airline based on the grounds of Jacksons International Airport, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.^[1] It operates scheduled domestic and international flights, as well as contract corporate charter work. Its main base is Jacksons International Airport.^[2]

History

The airline was originally established and started operations in 1987 as Milne Bay Air or simply MBA. It operated as a charter company in the resource development industry. The airline obtained an RPT (scheduled passenger services) licence in September 1992 and received its airline licence in March 1997. With its headquarters and main operating base set in Port Moresby, there are also support staff in Cairns, Australia. PNG Air has 750 staff. In 2008 the airline was listed on the Port Moresby Stock Exchange, PNG Air, Papua New Guinea’s second largest airline.^[2]

In November 2015, the airline rebranded and unveiled a new livery. It also received its first ATR 72-600 aircraft, to become the backbone of the fleet by 2020.^[3][4]

Destinations

PNG Air operates scheduled passenger flights to the following destinations:

Papua New Guinea

• Alotau (GUR) – Gurney Airport
• Buka (BUK) – Buka Airport
• Daru (DAU) – Daru Airport
• Goroka (GKA) – Goroka Airport
• Hoskins (HKN) – Hoskins Airport
• Kiunga (UNG) – Kiunga Airport
• Lae (LAE) – Lae Airport
• Lihir Island – Kunaye Airport
• Losuia (LSA) – Losuia Airport
• Madang (MAG) – Madang Airport
• Misima (MIS) – Misima Airport
• Moro (MXH) – Moro Airport
• Mount Hagen (HGU) – Mount Hagen Airport
• Popondetta (PNP) – Girua Airport
• Port Moresby (POM) – Jacksons International Airport hub
• Rabaul / Kokopo (RAB) – Rabaul Airport
• Tabubil (TBG) – Tabubil Airport
• Tari (TIZ) – Tari Airport
• Tufi (TFI) – Tufi Airport
• Vanimo (VNO) – Vanimo Airport
• Wewak (WWK) – Wewak Airport

^[5]

The airline previously operated flights to Cairns - Australia

Fleet

The PNG Air fleet includes the following aircraft (as of November 2015):^[6][7][8]

• 14 de Havilland Canada DHC Dash 8–102
• 2 ATR 72–600

Previously operated

• 1 Cessna 550 Citation II
• 1 Beechcraft King Air 200

Incidents and accidents

• 15 December 1992. A Britten-Norman Islander aircraft struck a mountain near Alotau, Papua New Guinea. 6 people killed.^[9]
• 12 July 1995. Shortly after takeoff from Dagura Airport, the Twin Otter aircraft exploded and crashed into shallow water. 13 people killed.^[9]
• 11 May 1996. Britten-Norman Islander flew into a valley surrounded by high terrain near Oumba. Pilot attempted a 180 degree turn, but crashed into trees. 1 passenger killed.^[9]
• 9 July 1996. Twin Otter aircraft struck a mountain in cloudy conditions on approach to Mendi. 20 killed.^[9]
• 29 July 2004. Twin Otter crashed near Ononge, in cloudy conditions. 2 killed.^[10]
• 11 August 2009. Flight 4684, a Twin Otter, made a failed go-around in cloudy conditions near Kokoda. The aircraft crashed into a mountain at an altitude of 5500 feet (1676 metres). All 13 people on board were killed.^[10]
• 13 October 2011. A PNG Air Dash 8-100, registration P2-MCJ, operating flight CG1600 from Lae to Madang (Papua New Guinea), crashed about 20 km south of Madang and caught fire, killing 28 of the 32 aboard.^[11][12]

External links

• Official website

References