Welcome aboard
Papua New Guinea hosts the 2015 Pacific Games in July, and Air Niugini is proud to be a gold supporter and official carrier for the Games.
The Pacific Games present a wonderful opportunity for PNG to showcase its many natural and cultural attractions, as well as organise the region’s major sporting event held every four years.
It will once again be a privilege to welcome to PNG His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, who will officially open the Games – as he did when the Games were last held here in 1991.
The Pacific Games, previously known as the South Pacific Games, will mark the beginning of a series of major events in PNG associated with the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Independence in September.
The Games will bring together more than 4000 athletes and officials from 24 Pacific nations, competing in 28 sports spread over 16 days at 14 venues, many of them new facilities constructed with substantial national government funding.
These facilities will benefit the athletes and spectators during the Games and will be available for the future use of the people of our sports-loving nation, and for future competitions.
As the official carrier, Air Niugini will have a key role in transporting athletes, officials, and visitors to Port Moresby, and to help ensure they are safely delivered to their home countries when the Games conclude.
This is a challenging logistical exercise, but one I am certain our national airline will manage efficiently, and with the same friendly service for which Air Niugini has rightly gained a high regional and international reputation.
I hope our visitors will take the opportunity to visit one or more other centres and communities across our vast and interesting nation. Air Niugini has a range of competitive airfares, and accommodation and ground transport options, to help our visitors do so.
PNG is a nation offering so many different opportunities for visitors, most of which are served by Air Niugini. From the Highlands to the islands and along our vast coastlines, it is an experience to be remembered for a lifetime.
The hosting of the Pacific Games comes at the same time as Air Niugini expands its services in the Pacific and develops Port Moresby as the regional hub to the major destinations in South East Asia and beyond. In the next few months we will be able to offer Pacific island travellers same-day journeys via Port Moresby to Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore, Bali and Japan.
The next issue of Paradise will focus on the celebration of four decades of Independence and nationhood in September.
Air Niugini pre-dated Independence by almost two years, but the national airline has grown with the nation and is proud of its contribution to the country’s strong economic progress, and its provision of safe and reliable air services.
We have much to celebrate, and Air Niugini will be offering special fares and incentives to help ensure as many of our people – and visitors – can join in the 40th anniversary of our Independence.
Welcome aboard, enjoy your flight! And good luck to the Games competitors! Sir Frederick Reiher, KCMG, KBE Chairman, Air Niugini Limited.