Air Niugini will return to Mendi once all-clear given

By NATHAN WOTI
AIR Niugini will return to Mendi airport in Southern Highlands once its technical team on the ground recommends that it is safe to do so.
Chief Executive Officer Gary Seddon told The National that assessments were being carried out by airline officials in accordance with airport safety requirements. And once the all-clear is given, flights to Southern Highlands will resume.
“We have not operated a flight to Mendi since 2018, but we remain keen to support Government’s significant investment in air transport and airport infrastructure,” he said.
“Air Niugini has flown to Mendi many times prior to 2018. So it wouldn’t be an inaugural flight if we were to resume tomorrow.
“However, when Air Niugini reports are available, the teams responsible will make recommendation for the management and board to make decisions.”
Meanwhile, Southern Highlands Governor William Powi, who was supposed to open the redevelopment of the airport, had to call off the ceremony after authorities advised that the airport runway was unsafe for landing.
Powi said that the people of Southern Highlands had been waiting for a decade for flights to return to Mendi airport.
But the reopening of the K41.7 million redeveloped Mendi airport had been rescheduled to May 2.
Mendi airport had been closed for six years after a riot in Mendi town led to the burning of an aircraft on June 14, 2018.
Today people from Southern Highlands have to travel to Mt Hagen in eighbouring Western Highlands or further east to Goroka to catch a flight to Port Moresby.