Landowners force airport to close over jobs demand

By LUKE KAMA and MARK HAIHUIE
THE National Airport Corporation will keep the Kagamuga airport in Mount Hagen closed until safety and security issues are sorted out, according to managing director and chief executive Richard Yopo.
It was forced to close yesterday when the airport gate keys were taken from NAC officers (on Wednesday around 5.45pm) by members of a landowning group who were not happy with the hiring of security guards.
Yopo said that apart from the incident on Wednesday, there were a number of security threats and incidents concerning aviation safety and security which had happened earlier. The NAC then decided to close the airport indefinitely until the issues are addressed by law enforcement agencies.
“Kagamuga Airport is a security-designated airport and there are minimum security standards and recommended practices that must never be compromised in any way,” Yopo said yesterday.
He said the matter was reported to Mt Hagen police for the people who instigated the disruption to operational services be arrested immediately.
He said their action was an illegal interference in the NAC and Civil Aviation services.
Yopo said recent incidents included:

•  The airport manager and his family being held up at home and robbed;
•  The airport vehicle stolen and stripped;
•  A section of the perimeter fence was damaged and removed; and
•  NAC staff being constantly threatened and harassed.
  “We have been constantly bombarded with emails and text messages and even threats that the rightful former landowners would take the matter into their own hands,” he said.
  “This is not right. That’s why we had to close the terminal operations to the public and its use by the two major airlines (Air Niugini and PNG Air) because of the constant security threats and disturbance that the staff and operators and the public have to endure in Hagen,” Yopo said.
  Air Niugini and PNG Air confirmed yesterday that they were unable to schedule any flights.