Air Niugini eyes new Japan route

Air Niugini services are expected to expand after an agreement was signed in New York yesterday allowing the airline to take another route to Japan.
The deal is an amended air services agreement signed between Papua New Guinea and Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and it follows a deal a year ago which allowed Air Niugini to service FSM with three flights to Chuuk and Pohnpei.
This latest agreement, which was signed by PNG Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Rimbink Pato and FSM Foreign Affairs Secretary Lori Robert, will allow Air Niugini to fly on to Japan from FSM.
Air Niugini “is currently finalising a flight schedule in connection with its already established commercial airline service to Tokyo in Japan”, a statement yesterday said.
Pato said the agreement, which was signed on the margins of the United Nations general assembly in New York, will lead to a reliable regional airline service that will boost business, trade, transportation and communication.
The deal follows months of negotiation between officials from both countries and showed the keen interest of Papua New Guinea and Federated States of Micronesia to help increase Pacific regionalism that will support trade and investment, people-to-people links, and collaboration with development partners, he said.
“A significance of the signing of the agreement is that it follows discussions I had this week on airline connectivity with the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe,” Pato said.