PX targets Asian markets

The National Business

AIR Niugini will develop its “hubbin” strategy and target the Asian markets to promote transits through Port Moresby and out to the South Pacific, managing director Alan Milne says.
“We are just doing the forecasts at the moment to see what it might look like and whether that might require a network change or port reviews,” he said
“So we are going through that process as we speak.”
Milne earlier said that the country was starting to see increased air traffic from Asia.
Responding to questions from The National on what the “hubbing” strategy was, Milne said it was an opportunity to use Port Moresby as a hub for the South Pacific, taking the Asian traffic through Port Moresby and out to the South Pacific ports.
“There’s many advantages to Port Moresby over Australia for example,” he said.
“So we will start to develop
what that looks like and start targeting those Asian markets to promote not just Air Niugini but for transits through Port Moresby as well.
“We will start working on that as quickly as we can.”
Milne said during the Port Moresby Commerce and Industry (POMCCI) business breakfast in March that the Asian traffic into Jackson and hubbing on into the South Pacific was “far easier, far shorter and far cheaper than through Australia”.
He also said they needed to work closer with the National Airports Corporation (NAC) to make sure Jackson’s International airport was up to it to handle the transits traffic, the lounges were adequate, good customer propositioning and that will be built into what their strategy would look like.
Meanwhile, a two days conference that started yesterday was aimed at bringing in key players in Air Niugini’s ground operations and aviation security teams to understand where they were going as a company.
Milne said it was not only focused on its higher altitude program, but also on airport operational and focused initiatives.
He said they were hoping that the conference attendees would learn exactly where the Air Niugini strategy was going to drive the operations.
Milne said they would look at its higher altitude program which was launched in March.
“This is the programme that we are using to take Air Niugini from being a good airline to a great airline.”
He said the four main pillars of the higher altitude programme includes:

  • Maintaining their focus on reducing costs;
  • revenue opportunities;
  • providing everyone the opportunities they deserve to progress their career; and,
  • Making sure they deliver what the customers expect.
    The annual ground operations and aviation security conference held in Port Moresby and ends today saw about 80 participants from the airports and ground operations team.
    Milne said they also invited guest speakers from partner airlines like Qantas.