Ms Jones said APNG stopped operating at Kikori four months ago due to the standard of the runway.
In November last year, a plane became bogged in wet ground when it was servicing mining company Xstrata's Frieda River copper mine in PNG's northwest.
I used to frequent these strips and it sounds like nothing much has changed.
I can recall operators complaining/ boycotting KIK years ago due to the WW2 era steel planking breaking up at the joints, creating sharp edges that were perfect for shredding tyres. Sections of frunway had to be skillfully navigated during take off and landing.
Unless Freida strip has been moved it was always a boggy track even by PNG standards, due to the fact that it was literally right on the river bank and only a few inches above the water in parts. If you haven't come close to being bogged or at least side-ways at Freida, then you're either a helicopter pilot or you're lucky enough to not go there too often.
