General News
7 April, 2026
New jet seals PNG links
A NEW aircraft on the Cairns – Port Moresby route is set to boost capacity and strengthen ties between Far North Queensland and Papua New Guinea.
Air Niugini has launched its Airbus A220-300 on the Cairns route, adding about 65,000 seats annually and marking the aircraft’s first scheduled international service.
Cairns Airport head of airline partnerships David Nye said the milestone reflected a long-standing relationship between the regions.
“This partnership has supported trade, education, tourism, workforce, for five decades now,” he said.
“Today is more than just about a single flight. It’s about celebrating a 50-year partnership, recognising the shared future of our regions and reinforcing Cairns’ role as the Australian national gateway.”
Air Niugini chief executive officer Alan Milne said Cairns was the natural choice for the aircraft’s first international route.
“There’s a very, very deep connection between Cairns and not just Port Moresby, but (all) the PNG community,” he said.
“We’ve been seeing growing demand. We’re nine times a week between Port Moresby and Cairns.” Mr Milne said the new aircraft would improve efficiency and passenger experience, with features including in-flight Wi-Fi.
“These aeroplanes are around 25% more efficient,” he said.
“To me, it’s more about the customer outcome … it’s just a different experience.”
He said the airline was not seeing any slowdown in bookings despite cost-of-living pressures. “Our forward bookings are still the same. So that’s a good thing. That’s a good sign.”
Mr Milne said the airline was monitoring global fuel pressures, but operations remained unaffected.
“We’ve got plenty of fuel at the moment … we’re just watching and seeing what happens,” he said.
Assistant tourism minister and Member for Barron River Bree James said the additional capacity would benefit tourism and business links.
“PNG is an incredibly important market for Far North Queensland, not just for tourism, but, of course, for family, cultural and business travel also,” she said.
“These stronger air links will make it easier than ever for people to choose Cairns as their gateway.” Mr Milne said the route could evolve further with the planned introduction of a Papua New Guinea team into the NRL in 2028, creating new travel demand in both directions.
Air Niugini is also assessing future routes through Port Moresby as a hub, with potential connections to destinations, including Singapore, Manila, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
