PX told to improve

By GYNNIE KERO
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has  challenged the management and board of Air Niugini to take a good hard look at customer care services at Port Moresby’s domestic and international terminals and at the airline’s other terminals throughout PNG.
He said at the launching of Air Niugini’s corporate charter terminal last Wednesday that such service of convenience should also be given to ordinary customers.
Many of the corporate charter clients at present were mining and petroleum companies, which relied on charter services for workforce and cargo movements.
“What you have done for corporate charter clients by providing them a specialised terminal for their convenience is excellent,” O’Neill said.
“But I believe it is time to also give the commercial travelling public a fair go.
“I believe time is overdue for the airline to work with responsible agencies of government that administer these terminals to improve their efficiency and user-friendliness.
“The domestic and international terminals at Jackson Airport and domestic terminals elsewhere need a great deal of improvement in areas of management, customer service and passenger movement.”
O’Neill said overcrowding and long check-in queues at all terminals needed to be addressed and managed efficiently.
“The ideal situation would be to provide the same kind of efficient and innovative service now being made available for corporate charter clients,” he said.
“I trust that the airline management and board would now move ahead with a programme to improve terminal services and customer care in the coming months.”
O’Neill said opening of the charter terminal showed the airline management had responded proactively to demands from the corporate sector and taken the necessary steps to cater for them.
“I am pleased to note that the airline at present operates 22 outbound corporate charter flights per week,” he said.
“That is a very healthy revenue stream for Air Niugini.
“The prospects look bright for increased weekly flights driven by movement of workers and cargo to and from several mining and petroleum projects that will come into production in the next two to three years and beyond.
“I am sure Air Niugini’s outbound corporate charter passengers will enjoy this facility.
“It is my fervent hope that the initiative to create this facility is the beginning of a renewed deliberate drive to make other areas of the airline’s service, operations and facilities more user-friendly.