New aircraft to boost services

LINK PNG, a subsidiary of Air Niugini, will welcome its first Q402 aircraft into Port Moresby next Monday.
According to a statement from Air Niugini, the Q402 (registration P2-PXQ) will bring substantial additional capabilities to Link PNG operations.
The aircraft operates close to jet speed and is 30 per cent faster than the other turbo-props being operated in PNG.
On a route such as Port Moresby to Rabaul, the Q402 would take 1 hour 38 minutes, rather than 2 hours 10 minutes on the other turbo-props.
With 76 seats, it has over 50 per cent more passenger capacity than Link PNG’s Dash 8s.
It is also capable of operating into many of the smaller airports that are unable to handle the Fokker jets.
Link PNG general manager Bruce Alabaster said the new aircraft would be able to operate longer direct routes and the additional seating capacity could be expected to result in lower airfares.
“Since Q402 has the potential to operate longer routes, it now gives Link PNG the opportunity to open up new, long direct routes that the current Dash 8 is unable of operating,” he said.
“Additionally, it has 50 per cent more seats than the present DHC-8s, but similar operating costs, this can result in lower airfares.”
He added that with the current airport upgrade by National Airports Corporation and Asia Development Bank under the Civil Aviation Development Investment Programme, the arrival of the Q402s was timely.