Tropic Air serves remote Islands region

 By ABIGAIL APINA

PEOPLE in remote areas of the Islands region will be able to travel by air to their nearest towns.

Tropic Air has provided a service the people had been lacking in the region for years.

It began its operations yesterday with its inaugural flight to Tokua from Port Moresby.

Tropic Air representative James Bell said the fleet had the capacity to accommodate nine passengers and two crew, plus cargo.

He said Tropic Air saw the need for the service in the region to provide an alternative transport mode for people who had to travel by sea without proper safety gear.

He said the fleet would service remote places like Kandrian, Gasmata, Pomio, Namatanai, Nissan, Buka, Kavieng, Simberi, Lihir and Hoskins.

Bell said the fleet was expected to service areas that Airlink previously served some years ago.

“Airlink has ceased operations in the region and Tropic Air wants to provide it again for the people. We have one plane to start with and we will see where it goes from here,” he said. He said the aim of the company was to build it as a business and to maintain the high level of service to the people.

“We are looking at going into Bialla again to service the people and business community there,” Bell said.

Bell said Topic Air had been operating in the country since 1998, usually on charter. It has branches in the National Capital District and Bulolo.

He urged the provincial governments to support Tropic Air in serving the people.