Lack of use-by dates keeps ageing planes soaring

AGEING aircraft are flying into Australia because our national aviation body does not have use-by dates on passenger planes.

Although most airlines strive for young fleets, some carriers like Air Niugini oper- ate regular services on planes 25-years and older.

An Air Niugini Fokker F100 used on Port Moresby-Cairns services is even older at 27.3 years, and other aircraft used on the route are more than two-decades old.

Federal Secretary of the Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association, Steve Purvinas, said that airlines like Solomon and Air Niugini were under less pressure to operate “new” aircraft because of the lack of competition on their various routes. “Maintaining older aircraft is a bit more expensive, but it’s still a waysight cheaper than flying around in new aircraft,” Mr Purvinas said.

“Operating a young fleet is more about customer service and marketing than maintenance costs.”

CASA spokesman Peter Gibson said “spot checks” were conducted on foreign airlines operating to Australia, including maintenance and airworthiness.