Air Niugini pays K7.6m dividend

AIR Niugini paid a dividend of K7.6 million to the government through THE Independent Public Business Corporation (IPBC) last Wednesday.
The payment coincided with Air Niugini’s opening of a charter terminal last Wednesday for corporate clients such as Oil Search, Newcrest, Morobe Mining Joint Venture and Talisman.
Acting chief executive officer Simon Foo said the dividend of K7.6 million was paid from the 2011 financial years while the 2012 report was still under audit.
Board chairman Garth McIlwain said the new charter terminal was specifically designed and built for Air Niugini’s corporate clients, especially outbound passengers.
He said clients on the return services would be using the normal commercial passenger terminal.
“We are serious about our customer care, and with an increase in demand, we feel that it was necessary to establish a separate terminal in a corporate environment where an exclusive level of customer service can be provided to our corporate clients,” McIlwain said.
“Air Niugini has 22 charter flights out of Port Moresby in a week and the number continues to grow.
“Our major clients that use Air Niugini charter services are Oil Search, Newcrest, MMJV and Talisman with flights operating to Lihir, Kiunga, Moro and Bulolo.
“In between there are also ad-hoc charters whenever there is requirement for an additional service.”
McIlwain said the terminal was very spacious and conve­nient with all basic terminal functions and facilities, four check-in counters and two boarding counters
In light of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s challenge to improve Air Niugini’s services on the domestic sector, McIlwain said the management had started with restricting movement of senior staff out of the country.
He said the management expected its entire staff to spend more time in the offices and work towards enhancing Air Niugini services on the domestic sector.