Link PNG resumes POM-Mendi flights

By PETER WARI
LINK PNG has resumed its services to Mendi in Southern Highlands after being suspended last October over election-related violence.
Link PNG is a subsidiary company of Air Niugini Limited.
It said yesterday the situation had returned to normal allowing the airline to resume operations.
Acting Mendi airport supervisor Solomon Taropo said Link PNG would be operating direct services twice a week from Port Moresby on Thursdays and Sundays.
The first flights went to Mendi on Friday and Sunday.
The airlines sales office in Mendi was re-opened on Monday.
The flight departs Port Moresby at 11.20am and arrives at 12.50pm.
Southern Highlands deputy provincial administrator, economics and social services, Fiebik Kilip said it was good news for people who had to travel to other provinces to catch flights.
He said some tertiary students returning home for their school holidays last year had to fly to Mt Hagen in Western Highlands before catching a bus to Mendi.
“It was an expensive exercise that affected many people,” Kilip said.
He said it was an important lesson for the people to support such important services and not to damage infrastructure.
“Some of the people may have become victims of robbery and pickpocketing, others harassed and intimidated while travelling to book tickets in other provinces.”