No International Flights to Lae One Year After Airport Upgrade

A Papua New Guinea politician wants to know why international flights have not started from Lae’s recently redeveloped Nadzab Tomodachi International Airport (LAE) and says it risks becoming a white elephant.

As reported by Port Moresby’s Post Courier newspaper, Luther Wenge told the country’s parliament earlier this week that there was growing demand from larger companies, including miners, for international flights from Lae.

The government spent PGK692 million kina (USD172 million) upgrading the airport in 2023, including building a new terminal for domestic and international flights, 16 check-in counters, two lounges, updated systems, immigration and quarantine facilities, and aerobridges.

The upgrade also included the expansion and reinforcement of runways and aprons, rendering the airport capable of handling aircraft as big as B777s.

“When we opened that airport, it was an international airport to take international routes,” said Wenge. “Now, it is standing there as a half white elephant because it is not taking international routes.”

Lae is served by Air Niugini and PNG Air. Air Niugini connects the airport with Port Moresby (POM) and Mannus (MAS), while PNG Air flies to Port Moresby, Madang (MAG), Hoskins (HKN), Rabual (RAB), and Wewak (WWK) from Lae. Of the two airlines, only Air Niugini operates international flights, and it has made no move to do so from Lae.

Minister for State Enterprises William Duma, who oversees Air Niugini, said international flights to Lae are a commercial decision for the airlines. He said there needed to be a sound business case supported by hard data and passenger numbers. Duma said the upgrade and designation as an international airport meant that when an airline was ready to, it was able to start international flights to and from Lae.

Photo: Collins Aerospace