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Key airport information may also be found at: Worldaerodata website on Papua New Guinea
Air travel is the single most important form of transport in Papua New Guinea, for the transport of humans and high density/value freight. Even today the two largest cities, Port Moresby and Lae, are only directly connected by planes.
There are 578 Airports / airstrips in PNG
Airports - with unpaved runways
21 large-scale national airports managed by the National Airports Corporation (NAC) provide regular service for jet and large turboprop aircraft; 20 secondary airports are owned by provincial governments, and another 450 or more small-scale aerodromes are – since a revision of the legislation in 2007 - supposedly the responsibility of local communities, church missions, and businesses. This is a real challenge as those sub-national entities and private agencies do not have the means to maintain those – albeit crucial – facilities. As a result, those facilities are deteriorating. It is also more and more difficult to get updated information on those local airstrips, the private air operators being obliged doing assessments themselves. Other recent changes in the related legislation (for example concerning the responsibility of flights under 20 passengers given to the air companies, etc.) have a damaging impact on a sector that was previously well designed and operated.
The navigation equipment at most of the 21 national airports is old, unreliable and deteriorating. Rescue and fire-fighting services are only available at seven airports. Large aircraft introduced in recent years threaten to damage tarmac runway surfaces and endanger safety. Most national airports make financial losses on their operations. Losses from airport operations and a lack of national government funding have precluded investment in the air transport sector, although assistance from AusAID and ADB’s large Civil Aviation Development Investment Program (CADIP) MFF project is available.
The nation’s two regularly scheduled airlines focus on passenger service, carrying 1.57 million passengers to the 21 NAC airports in 2008. The flag carrier, Air Niugini, replaced smaller craft with F-100, Boeing 757s and 767s. While aircraft movements only grew 2% per annum 2005–2008, passenger traffic rose 7.5% per year. Airport safety, security, tarmac conditions, navigation equipment and communications failures often cause flight cancellations, raising airline operating costs and passenger fares.
In terms of:
Only Jackson International Airport in Port-Moresby (POM) has the capacities hosting international operations. From a general point of view, POM is the biggest airport of the country in terms of volume of operations. It is also the one that has the best internal organization, mainly relying on international operators with adequate capacities. Except for POM, no other airport is able hosting international emergency operations; a special attention should thus be paid before operating emergency activities in any other airport.Lae has been designed as POM back-up airport but, in no sectors, could be compared to POM. This being said, a global upgrading plan exists for Lae airport, tending to improve all departments of the airport’s infrastructure (length and strength of the runways, passengers terminal) and to build new infrastructures (new cargo terminal, storage area, warehouse) In general, except maybe for POM, we recommend that any large humanitarian operation brings its own operations team and airport operational equipment to run major air, transitional storage and transhipment operations
More than 500 local airstrips exist in all remote regions of the country (complete list in Annex). As there are no centralized and updated information about the conditions of those local airstrips, we recommend:
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulates civil aviation in Papua New Guinea. The Minister of Transport establishes the rules that all:
CASA checks that these rules are being complied with and have the power to take action if they are not. CASA monitors safety and security performance throughout the aviation community so that we can direct our safety efforts where they are needed most. CASA also produces safety publications and run safety seminars for the aviation community. The CASA establishes civil aviation safety and security standards, and monitors adherence to those standards. The CASA carries out accident and incident investigations and collates this material to establish an industry-wide safety picture. This becomes the basis of safety initiatives ranging from education campaigns to increased monitoring and regulatory action.
Provider of air traffic services to the aviation industry and the flying public of Papua New Guinea, this includes airlines and other aircraft operators (including military and police) using PNG airspace. PNGASL delivers the following air navigation services:
Papua New Guinea Air Services Limited (PNGASL) is located in Port Moresby, National Capital District. The Corporate Headquarter Office is located on the first floor of the Jackson’s Airport Domestic Terminal Building. PNG Air Services Limited has manned units at the following locations:
PNG Air Services Limited also has facilities located at unmanned remote sites throughout the country.
4.1 Papua New Guinea Government Contact List
4.5 Papua New Guinea Airport Company Contact List
In PNG, the following requirements need to be applied, presented and approved before preposition of foreign registered aircraft:
Aircraft Registration and Certificate of Registration
1) Requirement for aircraft registration and certificate
B. Application for registration and grant of certificate
C. Registration and grant of certificate
Complete information on Aircraft Registration and Marking can be found in PNG Civil Aviation Rules - Part 47 -
Aircraft Registration and Marking - Effective 1 January 2004.
Air Operator – Certification
Regulated Air Cargo Agent – Certification
Foreign Air Operator – Certification
Other Legislation
Additional Information:
Papua New Guinea Air Operator – Certification
Papua New Guinea Foreign Air Operator — Certification