Air Niugini will commence commercial flights using its brand new Airbus A220-300 aircraft to Tokua Airport, Rabaul tomorrow, Friday 19 December. This milestone service marks another important step in the airline’s fleet modernisation program and demonstrates Air Niugini’s commitment to improving connectivity and travel experience for Papua New Guineans, particularly during the busy Christmas travel period.
The operation of the Airbus A220-300 to Tokua follows approval and operational clearance by the National Airports Corporation (NAC), allowing Air Niugini to deploy the aircraft to assist with peak seasonal demand, passenger backlogs and increased travel across the domestic network. The airline acknowledges NAC’s support and collaboration in facilitating this important service at a time when many families are travelling to reunite with loved ones for Christmas.
Our A220 service to Rabaul will operate four (4) times weekly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, offering almost double the number of seats over the existing Q400 and Fokker aircraft currently operating those flights. This is great news for business, families and tourists alike, with more seats, increased reliability, and faster flight times. The Q400s and Fokkers will be redeployed onto other routes, increasing capacity for those markets as well.
Air Niugini’s Officer in Charge, Captain Samiu Taufa, said. “This is an exciting moment for Air Niugini and for our customers in East New Britain. Bringing our newest aircraft into commercial service on this route helps us move more passengers efficiently while offering a significantly enhanced onboard experience.”
The Airbus A220-300 is configured with 138 seats, including 8 for Business Class, and features a modern cabin design, wider seats, larger windows and improved overhead storage, providing passengers with a quieter and more comfortable journey. Customers travelling on this aircraft can look forward to a smoother flight experience, making their Christmas travel more enjoyable, whether they are heading home to family or travelling to spend the holidays with loved ones.
With the Christmas peak now well underway, Air Niugini is encouraging the travelling public to take advantage of the additional capacity offered by the A220-300. The deployment of this aircraft to Tokua will help ease congestion, reduce backlogs and provide more reliable services during one of the busiest times of the year for air travel in Papua New Guinea. Air Niugini already offers our A220-300 service on routes from Port Moresby to Lae, Manus Island, Kavieng, Alotau, and now Rabaul. International routes will follow soon. We look forward to welcoming the A220 into additional domestic airports such as Mount Hagen and Hoskins next year, when the necessary runway maintenance at these airports has been completed.
Air Niugini encourages customers to plan ahead, purchase their tickets early and experience travel in style on the new Airbus A220-300. This is an ideal opportunity for families, friends and communities to travel together comfortably as they prepare to celebrate Christmas and the festive season.
As Air Niugini continues to introduce new aircraft into its fleet, the airline remains committed to strengthening domestic connectivity, supporting regional communities and delivering a higher standard of service for all passengers. The first commercial Airbus A220-300 flight to Tokua is a proud milestone, and Air Niugini looks forward to welcoming customers onboard for this special service and many more to come.
