Key transport links between Papua New Guinea's (PNG) capital, Port Moresby, and nearby North Queensland (Australia) are threatened by a rift between Qantas and its codesharing partner Air Niugini, over air safety events.
At the same time, Brisbane-based Flightwest Airlines is terminating its Australia-PNG services, due to poor traffic and unsustainable competition from Air Niugini.
Qantas says it is "reviewing its entire operation" on the route, following a recent en route incident on an Air Niugini Airbus A310 codeshare flight with Qantas from Port Moresby to Cairns. A pressurisation problem during the cruise at 39,000ft (12,000m) resulted in oxygen mask deployment and a crew-initiated emergency descent.
A maintenance problem is believed to have been to blame.
Qantas is offering pre-booked passengers an alternative - to fly direct with Air Niugini on a non-codeshare basis or to fly with Qantas via Brisbane, almost four times the route distance.
Qantas is also reviewing the implications for its operations of deficiencies in aviation infrastructure at Port Moresby, the country's only international gateway.
Source: Flight International
