Airline says it does not tolerate theft of passenger cargo

By DALE LUMA
AIR Niugini does not tolerate theft of passenger cargo.
The airline said this when responding to queries from The National following complaints from a customer whose spice which was sent through Air Niugini cargo went missing.
Jerome Narimole, a vanilla trader from East Sepik told The National that 14kg of his vanilla beans out of 60kg which was on route from Wewak to Madang was stolen along the way.
Narimole said when he brought the matter to the airline, he was offered to be paid about K200 which he said did not amount to the value of the missing vanilla beans.
“I sent 60kg of vanilla through cargo to Madang from Wewak which was going to come through Port Moresby,” he said.
“From the 60kg, three pieces, three bags which I paid excess and everything and released through cargo, however, 14 pieces disappeared and didn’t arrive in Madang,” he said.
“I went to Air Niugini cargo and checked and my files were there but they wanted to pay me K20 multiplied by 14 kilos which would be K280.
“That value is not much but I will make a big loss.”
Upon a follow up by The National, Air Nigini chief executive officer Bruce Alabaster said: “In reference to the missing vanilla claim, our preliminary findings have concluded (as of last week).
“This will be followed by a final report.
“During the investigation, if a staff is deemed to be involved, he or she will be dealt with accordingly.
“Air Niugini does not tolerate such practices.”