Runway improvement works start at PNG’s Mount Hagen Airport

By Andrew Curran.

Papua New Guinea’s National Airports Corporation (NAC) has commenced an upgrade of the runway at Mount Hagen (Kagamuga) Airport (HGU). The project is expected to take around nine months to complete and will allow the airport to handle larger and heavier aircraft.

The work will focus on the central portion of the runway and includes the application of a 75mm hot asphalt overlay, runway grooving, new pavement markings, and turning nodes.

The project will be carried out in 13 stages under an approved method-of-work plan. Associated works will include upgrades to aircraft parking bays and drainage infrastructure.

Previous failed upgrade of Mount Hagen Airport

Mount Hagen is one of Papua New Guinea’s four designated hub airports. It is served by PNG Air and Air Niugini and provides non-stop services to Port Moresby (POM), Mendi (MDU), Kiunga (UNG), Tabubil (TBG), and Wewak (WWK).

The airport has two asphalt runways. Its primary runway, 12/30, is 2,190 metres long.

A recently released report by the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC) into Papua New Guinea’s aviation industry described Mount Hagen Airport as “basic” and rated its runways as fair to good when compared with similar airports elsewhere in the world.

Notably, the report highlighted a previous runway upgrade project at Mount Hagen that failed to meet expectations despite being funded by the Papua New Guinea Government and the Asian Development Bank.

“Poorly designed works that disrupted operations, reduced runway capacity, and increased costs for airlines through unplanned maintenance, diversions, and cancelled flights,” the report said of the failed 2015 project.

“At both airports, the runway upgrades were not designed to the standards required for the larger aircraft that airlines had indicated they wished to operate.”

Higher hopes for second runway upgrade at Mount Hagen

A decade later, Mount Hagen is among four key airports earmarked for expansion under the Asian Development Bank’s CADIP III program and Japan International Cooperation Agency initiatives.

“The upgrade of the runway through an asphalt concrete overlay is among the top priorities driven by the NAC board to create sustainable airports that meet the growing demand for air travel in the country while supporting economic growth,” said NAC Chief Operating Officer Manuai Kametan this week.

“NAC is committed to doing its utmost to ensure that the full runway length will be made available for Boeing 737 and Airbus A220 aircraft operations by December 2026.”

The project is budgeted to cost PGK39.4 million (USD9 million).

Photo: National Airports Corporation.

Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com