Page 32 - IB Nov 2017

Aviation

ADVERTORIAL Islands Business

Carriers review fleets

Dreams

in the air

ing 767 and three medium haul Boeing
737 aircraft.
Chief Executive Officer, Simon Foo,
said Air Niugini would take delivery of
two new US$100 million Boeing 787
Dreamliners in 2017 and 2018.
“We’ve got the first one on order for
2017. The second one will be in 2018.
They’re the new generation type of
airplanes that will replace the 767s that
we’re operating now,” he said.
Air Niugini’s will boost its expansion with the purchase of four B737 Max 8s. Top right: The dreamliner, which Fiji
Airways is banking on to up the ante. Below: Air Niugini’s inflight magazine, Paradise. Photos: File “The contracts still going through for
By Netani Rika the final payment but it will be in the
vicinity of US$100 million for one.”
TWO of the Pacific’s major carriers have Air Niugini operates the Boeing 767
started a review of their fleets which into its Asian destinations – Manila,
could see the Boeing 787 Dreamliner Denpasar (Indonesia), Hong Kong, Sin-
winging across regional skies in the gapore - and into Sydney and Brisbane
near future. in Australia.
Fiji Airways is expected to take de- The airline has been a Boeing cus-
livery of the next generation Boeing tomer since 1975 when it started inter-
737 Max8 early next year to replace the national flights using the Boeing 707.
current 737-800s and 737-700 aircraft. Later it operated the three-engined Boe-
Last month, one of the airline’s older ing 727 before upgrading to the Boeing
Boeing 737s suffered a pressurisation The Airbus A330 carries a maximum 767-300ER which it operates today.
fault between Christmas Island and Ho- 440 passengers and 158.4 cubic metres For its shorter routes Air Niugini
nolulu, forcing the crew to make a rapid of cargo. By comparison the Boeing 777 operates the Fokker 100.
descent to 10,000 feet and maintain carries up to 396 passengers and 201.6 But like Fiji Airways, Air Niugini, has
that altitude until the end of the flight. cubic metres of freight. chosen the Boeing 737-800 MAX to
While Fiji Airways has an impeccable Prior to 2006 Fiji Airways had or- replace its medium haul fleet.
safety record, the incident did highlight dered the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Air Niugini will purchase four B737
the age of its Boeing 737 fleet, the replace its then ageing Boeing 747 MAX 8s worth a total of US$440 mil-
backbone of its regional and short-haul to operate its medium and long-haul lion, allowing it to expand into new
service using narrow-body aircraft. routes but political interference and a markets. The airline has already moved
On longer flights Fiji’s national carrier consequent management change saw into the Northern Pacific on the Port
uses three Airbus A330 aircraft which the orders scrapped. Moresby-Chuuk-Pohnpei route.
have been unable to meet the huge de- The Boeing 787 Dreamliner carries And it operates a three-way code
mand for freight on long-haul services 440 passengers (the same as the A330) share from its Port Moresby hub to
into Hong Kong, Singapore and the and 191.4 cubic metres of cargo – 30 Honiara and Port Vila in conjunction
West Coast of the United States. cubic metres more than its rival. with Air Vanuatu and Solomon Airlines.
“Fiji Airways’ inability to carry too Industry sources say Fiji Airways is Airline chairman, Sir Frederick Rei-
much freight out of its Nadi hub has reviewing the Dreamliner and the Air- her, said the new jets would enable Air
opened the door to Air New Zealand bus A350 which carries 366 passengers Niugini to be more economical and ef-
which operates the Boeing 777 with and 115 cubic metres of freight. ficient in connecting Papua New Guinea
huge cargo capacity through Nadi to Once the airline has completed its to the world.
Los Angeles,” an airline insider told fleet upgrade, there are plans to explore Air Niugini operates 26 aircraft, in-
Islands Business. services to mainland China and Japan. cluding Fokker, Bombardier and Boeing
“In order for Fiji Airways to maximise Air Niugini, on the other hand, has models to destinations in Asia and the
its revenue on the long haul flights it chosen to remain with Boeing which Pacific.
will need to make some serious changes currently supplies its long haul two Boe- r netrika66@gmail.com
to the fleet.”

32 Islands Business, November 2017