Commercial passenger flights to and from Kiunga will remain temporarily suspended as runway upgrade works continue at Kiunga Aerodrome, according to Acting Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of National Airports Corporation (NAC), Dominic Kaumu.
Mr. Kaumu in a statement this week confirmed that restrictions are expected to remain in place until at least September.
Mr. Kaumu said the Kiunga Airport Upgrade Project in Western Province has reached 48 per cent completion, with significant progress achieved across both airside and landside works.
He said construction is now entering the next phase, focusing on Method of Working Plan (MOWP) Stages 7 to 9.
“Airside works for MOWP Stages 1 to 6 have been completed up to the application of temporary runway line marking,” Mr. Kaumu said.
He said the completed sections remain subject to inspection and confirmation before final and permanent runway line markings are applied, with completion targeted toward the end of June.
Mr. Kaumu said MOWP Stages 7 to 9 are scheduled to commence concurrently from the first week of July and are expected to be completed during the first week of September.
He said commercial flight operations will only resume after successful inspections, safety assessments and commissioning approval by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Papua New Guinea.
Mr. Kaumu said Kiunga Airport’s 1,200-metre runway will continue operating under temporary restrictions during the construction period.
“Regular Public Transport operations, including Dash 8 series aircraft operations, will remain temporarily suspended,” he said.
However, he said the aerodrome will continue to operate for smaller general aviation aircraft in accordance with applicable NOTAM requirements and operational safety conditions.
Mr. Kaumu acknowledged the ongoing impact of the restrictions on passengers, businesses and cargo movement into and out of Kiunga.
He said the prolonged dry season has contributed significantly to delays by lowering water levels and disrupting the procurement and transportation of construction materials to the site.
“This has impacted the timely completion of the remaining runway pavement and associated works,” he said.
Mr. Kaumu advised travelers, airline operators and the business community to plan ahead and make alternative travel and freight arrangements where necessary.
He said NAC will continue to provide updates as construction progresses and commissioning arrangements are confirmed.
Mr. Kaumu described the runway upgrade as a critical investment that will strengthen aviation infrastructure in Western Province and improve long-term regional connectivity.
“The runway upgrade remains an important investment supporting safe, reliable and sustainable aviation services into the future,” he said.
The Kiunga Airport Upgrade Project is being implemented by NAC under the Civil Aviation Development Investment Project II (CADIP II) and funded through the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Asian Development Bank.
Mr. Kaumu thanked airline operators, stakeholders, passengers and the people of Western Province and Papua New Guinea for their patience and cooperation throughout the project period and apologized for the inconvenience caused.