Air Niugini appoints new CEO, fails to squash B787 rumours

By Andrew Curran.

Air Niugini has appointed aviation veteran Alan Milne as chief executive officer, taking over from Samiu Taufa, who acted as officer-in-charge for six months following the ousting of Gary Seddon. It is Milne’s second crack at Port Moresby’s top airline job, having previously served as Air Niugini’s CEO between 2018 and 2020.

The news, announced on February 16, continues a trend of new airline CEO appointments in the Southwest Pacific recently. Air New Zealand and Fiji Airways named new CEOs in the latter half of last year. More recently, Solomon Airlines and Air Tahiti Nui have made the same move.

“Alan’s deep understanding of the complexities of airline management in the Asia/Pacific region is exactly what is needed at this time for Air Niugini,” said Air Niugini Chairman Karl Yalo in Port Moresby on Monday.

Milne spent bulk of career at Qantas

Milne is currently the managing director of Cairns-based East Air, a small charter airline that recently attempted to start a scheduled passenger service between Cairns (CNS) and Hamilton Island (HTI). That twice-weekly service ended two months after it began.

Before that, he was the CEO of Skytrans. He left that role shortly after Avia Solutions Group acquired the company.

Aside from the earlier stint at Air Niugini, the bulk of Milne’s four decade-plus career in aviation was spent at Qantas. He joined the company in 1982 as a maintenance engineer and working his way up to become head of operations performance.

Milne now returns to Air Niugini while it is midway through a re-fleeting programme, having taken delivery of three of eleven A220s due.

Milne steps into Port Moresby business quicksand

Yalo said Milne would be expected to deliver on safety, operational performance, customer experience, workforce stability, and the "disciplined" re-fleeting programme.

Milne steps into the role following the exit of the well-respected Gary Seddon. Port Moresby’s turbulent cross currents of business, politics, loyalties, and culture claimed Seddon's scalp last August when he was suspended over apparent concerns about the A220's induction process. He quietly left the airline two months later and was last seen at the Singapore Air Show.

B787 order axing rumours

Meanwhile, Yalo failed to address growing rumours that Air Niugini has axed its order for two B787-8s due for delivery in 2027.

The airline, which typically responds forcefully to speculative reports in Port Moresby outlets, has refused to comment on a cancellation report last week. Air Niugini’s spokesperson did not respond to enquires from Aero South Pacific and has declined to comment on the matter to Port Moresby outlets, citing confidential contractual agreements.

Aero South Pacific does not say that the cancellation has occurred, only that it was reported and Air Niugini has not refuted the claim.

Air Niugini’s press statement accompanying Milne’s appointment mentioned the re-fleeting programme, noting the introduction of the A220s, but omitting the B787s. It also mentioned a list of organisations and companies that Milne was expecting to work with, name checking Airbus but not Boeing.

“Air Niugini’s re-fleet program includes the introduction of the Airbus A220 and the planned transition away from ageing aircraft, including the Fokker and Dash 8 classic fleet and changes associated with the Q400 fleet, with a focus on strengthening safety, dispatch reliability and schedule integrity as the airline modernises,” the statement reads.

“With the introduction of the Airbus A220 and the progressive retirement of our older aircraft, we are undertaking one of the most significant transformations in the airline’s history,” added Yalo. “This transition, from aircraft approaching four decades in service to a modern, efficient fleet, must be executed safely, responsibly and with minimal disruption to the travelling public.”

The B787 cancellation, if true, would leave Air Niugini without a replacement aircraft for its increasing tired pair of B767-300ERs used on flights to Asia and Australia.

Yalo also used Monday’s announcement to reiterate the government’s plans to partially privatise Air Niugini, saying it was medium term priority.

“The global aviation industry is changing rapidly and Air Niugini will not be left behind,” said Yalo.

Milne has not disclosed his plans for East Air.

Photo: Air Niugini.

Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com