AIR NIUGINI OPERATIONS DISTRUPTED DUE TO VANDALISM OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS TOWER IN ALOTAU

AIR Niugini operations in Alotau, MilneBay have been disrupted this week following the vandalism of a Digicel telecommunication tower in Alotau.

The damage to the telecommunications infrastructure has directly affected the airline’s systems, including reservation at the Alotau sales office and the check-in system at Gurney Airport.

As a result, airline staff have been unable to access the Sabre system, which is essential for passenger bookings and check-in processes.

This disruption has impacted many passengers travelling into and out of Alotau, including transit passengers and a good number of customers, including students travelling to commence their academic year, have been particularly affected.

Some passengers have experienced delays, missed flights, or have been temporarily stranded due to the system outage.

As part of contingency arrangements, students are advised to email the relevant scholarship team to obtain copies of their tickets and/or arrange rebooking online where possible. The Sales Supervisor in Alotau is aware of the situation and is assisting affected passengers within the limitations of the current system outage.

Air Niugini sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to all affected passengers. The situation, however, is beyond the airline’s control as it stems from damage to critical telecommunications infrastructure.

The public is reminded that when essential facilities or service infrastructure are vandalized, the impact extends far beyond the immediate damage. Such actions disrupt vital services and affect many innocent people — including students, families, business travellers, and those travelling for urgent medical treatment.

Air Niugini’s Officer in Charge, Captain Samiu Taufa, has appealed to the public to safeguard national infrastructure.

“We strongly urge our communities to protect public facilities and essential service infrastructure. When these assets are vandalized, the consequences are felt by many genuine people who depend on them daily — including students and those travelling for medical or other urgent needs. Let us all take responsibility in looking after the services that support our communities.”

Air Niugini is closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as services are restored.