Local leader questions high air fares for Tari

By JUNIOR UKAHA
PEOPLE in the Hela region have voiced concern about the “excessive airfares” being charged to and from Tari.
Tari town community leader Peter Andaya said flag carrier Air Niugini was charging “excessive airfares” to and from Tari Airport on the airline’s Dash 8 aircraft.
“The airfares are too exorbitant and unfair,” he said.
“Air Niugini is cheating and robbing us. Not everyone in Hela is a landowner – they must understand that.”
Andaya said it was cheaper to fly to destinations such as Manus, Rabaul and Buka, which were much further away from Port Moresby than Tari.
He said people paid K998 one way from Tari to the capital city while passengers to other destinations were charged K700 or less.
“Flights to Tari take just around one hour 45 minutes compared to other places but the rate is very high,” he said.
“We want the Air Niugini management to tell us why they are charging such fares and what criteria are used to justify such fares.”
The Air Niugini management said in an email yesterday the high airfares to and from Tari airport was because of “various obstacles” experienced by flights to and from the area.
“Tari does not have fuel, which means Air Niugini has to carry enough fuel to return, hence the restriction on the number of passengers it carries,” the airline said.
It said other obstacles at Tari airport included the location of a telecommunication tower and trees in the vicinity of the airport.
The management said it had liaised with the owners to have the trees cut down but they had refused, resulting in restriction of loads in and out of Tari.
It said the airline was willing to cut its fares but the locals must cooperate with the airline.