Air Niugini will restart direct services between Port Moresby and Tokyo Narita this week, flying twice weekly for the first time since 2020.
The Papua New Guinea national carrier will operate the Port Moresby to Tokyo Narita route every Wednesday and Saturday, using a mix of B767-300ER and B737-800 aircraft.
Commencing 17 July, flight PX54 departs Port Moresby at 2.10pm and arrives at Narita International Airport at 8pm, a journey of roughly six hours and 50 minutes. The return service leaves Narita at 9.40pm and lands in Port Moresby at 5.30am the following day.
What it opens up for Aussies
The resumption strengthens Port Moresby’s position as a connecting gateway between Japan, Australia and the Pacific Islands, feeding into Air Niugini’s domestic and regional network, and comes as the carrier presses ahead with fleet modernisation, having recently launched its all-new Airbus A220-300 on the Port Moresby-Cairns route.
For Australian travellers, the route adds another pathway to Japan, one of the top outbound destinations, via Port Moresby, alongside onward connections to Pacific ports including Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu served by the carrier and its partners.
In Australia, Air Niugini currently flies to Sydney, Brisbane and Cairns.
What the airline says
Air Niugini CEO Alan Milne said the resumption of the Tokyo service marks an important milestone for the national airline.
“We are delighted to bring back this vital route, which is a key milestone in our efforts to expand and strengthen our international network, while further positioning Papua New Guinea as an important connecting gateway between Japan, Australia, and the Pacific Island countries,” Mr Milne said.
“Port Moresby is strategically positioned to serve as a transit hub for travellers moving between Japan, Australia, and the Pacific, and this service will enhance those regional connections through Air Niugini’s growing network.”
Air Niugini‘s international flights include complimentary food and beverages, in-flight entertainment and a 30kg checked baggage allowance. Additional luggage, lounge access and other benefits are available for Business Class customers and Kumul Club members.
KARRYON UNPACKS: A revived Tokyo link via Port Moresby gives advisors a lesser-known routing to Japan and an easy tie-in to Pacific island add-ons, while the reverse flow opens Papua New Guinea and the Pacific to Japanese visitors through the same hub.
