Cairns to Hong Kong flights take off
Air Niugini’s inaugural flight from Cairns to Hong Kong, via Port Moresby, took off on October 30 with 8.5 tonnes of live fish, fresh produce and aquarium coral on board a widebody Boeing 767.
The flights are integral to the $AUD75 million export industry to the Cairns region, which includes fresh produce and seafood, supporting about 180 jobs in Far North Queensland.
Two bins of live fish, four and a half tonnes of fresh Queensland pumpkins, one tonne of live aquarium coral, and rockmelons were moved on the first flight.
Air Niugini managing director, Alan Milne, says the opportunity (to start the twice-weekly flights) is mutually beneficial to the airline and the people of Far North Queensland.
“You only have to look at all that local produce being loaded onto the plane to acknowledge how important this service is for the people of Far North Queensland. And it’s great to be working with the (Queensland) State Government to provide this service, which in turn is also beneficial to Air Niugini in terms of revenue opportunity from both cargo and passenger.”