en.Wedoany.com Reported - Air Niugini has confirmed it will resume direct flights between Port Moresby and Auckland in November this year, operating three times a week with Boeing 737-800 aircraft. This marks the first direct air service between the two countries since 1998, after nearly three decades.

The direct service between Jacksons International Airport (POM) in Port Moresby, the capital of Papua New Guinea, and Auckland Airport (AKL) will be the first in nearly thirty years. Air Niugini had previously announced plans to resume this service in July this year, but after several adjustments, it was postponed from July to September, and is now confirmed to resume on November 19. The route is still not available for booking on the airline's website, and Auckland is not even displayed on the route map.

The outbound flight has a duration of 4 hours and 40 minutes, covering a distance of 2,563 miles (4,125 kilometers). The return flight takes 5 hours, departing from Auckland and arriving back at Jacksons International Airport the following day, allowing connections to the airline's domestic and international networks. The route is expected to be popular with seasonal workers traveling to New Zealand for the horticulture and viticulture industries, a group that accounts for nearly one-third of all travel between the two countries. Flights are scheduled to depart Port Moresby on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, with the aircraft overnighting in Auckland before returning on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

The aircraft initially operating the route will be the Boeing 737-800, with Air Niugini planning to replace it with the Airbus A220-300 later next year. According to Aeroroutes data, flight PX031 departs Port Moresby at 9:50 AM and arrives in Auckland at 6:30 PM; flight PX032 departs Auckland at 9:00 AM and arrives in Port Moresby at 12:00 PM.

According to ch-aviation statistics, Air Niugini's current fleet comprises 18 aircraft, including three Boeing 737-800s, two Boeing 767-300s, two Airbus A220-300s, one Dash 8-300, three Dash 8-400s, two Fokker 100s, and two Fokker 70s. The airline had ordered Boeing 787-8s to replace the aging 767s, but that order was canceled in February this year.

Air Niugini is headquartered at Jacksons International Airport, which serves as Papua New Guinea's main gateway, offering flights to Asia, Oceania, and Australia. The name "Nuigini" means "New Guinea" in Tok Pisin. The airline operates routes from Brisbane (BNE), Cairns (CNS), Sydney (SYD), and soon Auckland, with connections from Port Moresby to international destinations such as Tokyo Narita Airport (resuming July 18), Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), and Manila (MNL). Air Niugini aims to position itself as an alternative airline offering cheaper indirect international routes via Port Moresby.