And not only the highlands...seems a fokker jet got turned around just the other day on the way to Bukka.
Advice they got airborne that was that is was extremely unsafe to land because of Political problems.
From the Post Courier:
Air Niugini flights to Buka have been cancelled for an indefinite period after vandals set alight the precision approach path indicators on the Eastern and Western end of the airport.
PAPI is normally operated by air traffic control (ATC) and if ATC services are not normally provided at an aerodrome as in Buka, then PAPI along with other airport lights may be activated by the pilot by keying the aircraft microphone with the aircraft’s communication radio tuned to the CTAF or dedicated pilot controlled lighting (PCL) frequency.
It is unknown who damaged the lightings and the police are working to find the person or persons involved.
Only PNG flights have been coming into Buka this week and the destruction of the runway equipment poses a great threat to aircraft and passengers.
Many passengers who were to travel out this week said the act of vandalism is not good and greatly affects travellers and the airlines that operate into the region.
A traveller who was due to travel on Wednesday said this shows “a bad attitude for us as we are heading into the referendum and it also causes business disruption.”
An attempt to get comments from NAC Buka was unsuccessful.