Air Niugini, the national carrier of Papua New Guinea, has placed an order with Airbus for a total of six A220-100 aircraft as part of its fleet modernisation programme. Additionally, the airline will acquire three A220-300s and two more A220-100s from third-party lessors. The announcement was made during a special event in Port Moresby, with the presence of the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea and the Minister for State Enterprises.
Air Niugini will deploy the A220 across its domestic and regional network, benefiting from its long-range capability, fuel efficiency, and spacious cabin in the 100-150 seat category. This new fleet will enhance capacity and reliability on the domestic network and enable the airline to introduce new routes in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Acting CEO of Air Niugini, Gary Seddon, emphasised that this order represents a significant milestone for the national airline, offering passenger comfort, fuel efficiency, and reduced emissions. The Minister for State Enterprises, Hon. William Duma, hailed the occasion as transformative for travel in Papua New Guinea.
Airbus Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer expressed gratitude for Air Niugini’s confidence in the A220, highlighting its efficiency, range, comfort, and growth potential.
Air Niugini has also chosen Airbus subsidiary NAVBLUE’s N-Flight Planning (N-FP) system to optimise fuel, time, and cost while ensuring safety and compliance.
As of September, Airbus has received over 800 orders from around 30 customers for the A220, with more than 280 already delivered. The A220 is in successful service with 17 airlines worldwide.
