Air Niugini eyes Boeing 787 Dreamliners

 By MALUM NALU

AIR Niugini chief executive Simon Foo says the company will take delivery of two new US$100 million (K260.58 million) Boeing 787 Dreamliners in 2017 and 2018.

He said that last Friday night at a function to celebrate Air Niugini’s 40th anniversary.

Boeing executive David Scott, who was at an Air Niugini anniversary exhibition on Saturday, confirmed that the airline would buy two new Dreamliners.

Foo said: “We’ve got the first one on order for 2017. The second one will be in 2018. They’re the new generation type of airplanes that will replace the 767s that we’re operating now.

“The contract’s still going through for the final payment but it will be in the vicinity of US$100 million for one.

“We’re looking forward to that because it’s a wonderful machine that’s called the Dreamliner.

“I’m hoping for the next 40 years that Air Niugini will still be in existence and continue to improve its services to the people of Papua New Guinea.”

Scott, who arrived from Seattle, USA, said Air Niugini had been a loyal customer to Boeing in its 40-year history.

“The Boeing history with Air Niugini goes back to the early years,” he said.

“In 1975, when Air Niugini decided to expand their international operation, it selected the Boeing 707.

“They later operated the Boeing 720, the Boeing 727, and more recently Air Niugini added the Boeing 767-300ER. They operated a Boeing 757-200 and the most recent addition to the fleet at Air Niugini from Boeing is the Boeing 737 Next Generation in July of 2012.

“Now they have three of those 737s in operation. From the beginning to the middle years and now we look to the future, we have the 787 Dreamliner.”