Despite the impact of COVID-19 on air travel, Papua New Guinea’s commercial and charter operator PNG Air is continuing to operate domestically. The local carrier is providing vital connectivity to regions for which domestic air services are often the only viable means of transportation.
William Kalipa, general manager for PNG Air’s engineering and maintenance and also who manages the airline’s Continuing Airworthiness Management Group (CAMG), says domestic air services are essential as many of their destinations are remote due to the country’s mountainous, densely forested terrain combined with limited road and maritime infrastructure.
Kalipa says the airline is constantly receiving requests from local governments to fly to more airstrips in remote parts of the country. PNG Air is considering opening new routes to these destinations, but the airline does need to conduct risk assessments of these airstrips, he says. The airline relies on the authorities to develop and maintain the airstrips.
Many people in Papua New Guinea fly to the smaller towns to visit family and friends or collect fresh produce and then fly to Port Moresby and larger centres to gain access to higher education and specialist medical care, says Kalipa.
