Air Niugini Gets Approval For Fiji Airways Code Share
Port Mors0eby - The Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) has authorised Air Niugini Limited to enter into a code-share agreement with Fiji Airways Limited on the Port Moresby to Nadi route via Honiara.
ICCC Commissioner and chief executive offier, Paulus Ain said the code-share agreement allowed with Fiji Airways could be for a period of three years and is the first between the airlines.
“Currently, only Air Niugini is servicing the Port Moresby-Nadi route via Honiara,” Mr Ain said.
“Therefore, the ICCC believes this code-share arrangement would provide an opportunity for another carrier in Fiji Airways to enter the market through partnering with Air Niugini and eventually grow its market share on the route and may enter into a more competitive form of code-share arrangement or enter the market as an independent carrier.”
In its assessment of the public benefits this code-share is likely to generate, the ICCC highlighted that in the long run the arrangement will develop the route and make Port Moresby a transit hub for passengers from New Zealand, United States, Honiara, Fiji and other Pacific Island nations to Asia and vice versa.
This will increase traffic volume through Port Moresby and make it possible for more frequent services, and reduce passenger flight times to Asian destinations.
This outcome would also lead to cheaper fares in the long term as well as the possibility of Fiji Airways (and other Pacific carriers) to enter the PNG market independently.
Meanwhile, Air Niugini, has achieved its best ever ‘on time performance’ (OTP) over the last four weeks in May, chairman Sir Frederick Reiher has announced.
Sir Frederick said the average OTP for the month of May was 91 per cent, not just the best ever for Air Niugini, but higher than all airlines in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region.