Air Niugini's subsidiary - LINK PNG

[Badengo]

So ANG replaces its modern Q400 fleet with 27 year old technology F70's, but PNG Air (AIRLINES PNG, MBA) gets new technology, brand new,of the production line, ATR72-600's.

Am I missing something here??

But, giving due where it is due, have to say, do prefer the passenger flight in the Fokker for its space and comfort over the turbo prop

The 400s can't handle the terrain. Doing prop blades every few hours of ops isn't the best and all the ongoing gear problems with them!
Plus the 400 is different LRUs, tooling and licensing to the Dash classics. Whereas the F70 is similar LRUs, same tooling as the F100, and no licence changes so makes $$sense there.

PNG Air needed to go the new aircraft route and kill the APNG name at the same time to stay alive...now to get some work :/

[fortybelow]

Badengo

"The Q400's can't handle the terrain..." Mate have you ever flown a Q400? They pi** all over the terrain. Can depart Nadzab and be 6000 feet passing abeam the field and have made 18000 feet inside of 20 dme at pretty much MTOW without breaking a sweat...

Reasons for Q400 sale got NOTHING to do with performance.

[NCD]

Was told that the Q400 would initially out climb the Fokker so fortybelow has a point.

PX certainly had too many types, DH8 classics, DH8 400's, Fokker, B737, B767, so with all the required spares, maintenance and training must have been a killer expenditure wise, so the idea of reducing types was a smart move.

However PX airframes have become LG (last generation, with the noted exception of the 737NG).

[olderairhead]

The advertisement for PX has been removed from the AFAP website.

[Pinky the pilot]

The advertisement for PX has been removed from the AFAP website.

I wonder why?:hmm: And who was responsible for doing so?

[olderairhead]

They did the same in thing January probably for the same reason I am guessing.

[Duck Pilot]

Maybe they read this forum?

I thought ANG were considering ATRs as a replacement for all the Dash 8s, have they sill got the 72 freighter?

[NCD]

The ATR(XX)-42 Freighter crashed on take off and burnt itself out at Madang, the -72 went back to Europe not so long ago..end of contract type of stuff.

Was told that ANG were going to try a Dash Classic as a Combo for freight. No idea if it eventuated

Now, if there is a country that needs a dedicated freighter company..PNG is it.

[Duck Pilot]

Couple of these would pay for themselves pretty quickly in PNG

Air Inuit to be Launch Customer for Bombardier Q300&nbspFreighter with a Large Cargo Door - Bombardier (http://www.bombardier.com/en/media/newsList/details.air-inuit-to-be-launch-customer-for-bombardier-q300-freighter-wi.bombardiercom.html)

[High 6]

How the big wheel turns... In the mid 80's PX took delivery of the only 3 Dash 7 Combi aircraft with a cargo door. They were used primarily for the Ok Tedi contract and doing freight around the country... veggies from GKA, beef from Lae, Goods for Bougainville Copper etc... Although expensive and received through a shady deal conducted by the Late Iambakey Okuk, I believe they paid their way and made money in the end. Great for high angle approaches and low level manoeuvring in the valleys but not much speed in the cruise. The only aircraft fitted with bird strike protection on the wing trailing edges. ;)

[ad-astra]

The Reconnaissance Squadron.........they were evidently great to fly and could be backed into a culvert (and a windsock) with the greatest of ease.

[Duck Pilot]

Tow bar bugger up Nogot brake pressure, emau

[Propstop]

The Dash7 kept us employed as they were a very maintenance intensive aircraft, especially when the RH hydraulic system devoured its own pumps. Took a few days to fix. Then the fuel tank microbe issue, the engine control cables fraying through the firewall, the main engine elec harness plug in the engine intake.
How I can never forget them! The good days of ANG in POM

[faheel]

My first transport command at pixi.

I much preferred it to the Dash 8, slower but I felt much more comfortable in it around the highlands..the omega nav was something else..nine waypoints max but fun to fly..not as much fun as the F28 though..loved that aircraft.

[Mangi Fokker]

There's something about this thread. Lately, visiting here makes me feel like I've entered the PX retirement village. Perhaps I should bring a cold 6 pack of SP or a bottle of Buka Meri with me.

[Propstop]

SP thanks!
We are all lapun but we could tell some tales of, for a lot of us, some of the best and most challenging times in our lives. We were also totally professional as well.

[High 6]

Hey yupela, anybody in the loop on what happened at the planned May 5 court hearing? ... oh and my preference would be for the bottle of Buka Meri, sweet & strong!!

[Mangi Fokker]

It was positive. The Judge wants to understand why mediation failed before he sets a trial date.

[olderairhead]

Been told the May 5 court hearing was held addressing "legal argument".

All parties to reappear early June (8th??) with responses. Case should then proceed according to normal protocol. But it is PNG.................:ugh:

[TomU]

Mangi, you need to understand...PNG is like herpes, once you have it, you have it for life, and you have to scratch it!! The only difference is that you can be proud of how you got it and grateful for the experience.

[ad-astra]

If we started breaking out the stories from the Islander, the T Lodge, the Airways and the Gateway, with occasional touches from the the Dero V1 and V2, the Yachtie V1 and V2, the Ela Beach H' House and the Aviat it would overload prune.
God even the rubbish dump has it its stories to be told.......maybe not!

[Wandering]

ad-astra

Not so. There is a thread for all of what you say. Its called
PNG Ples Bilong Tok Tok. You can find it on page 5 of
The Pacific: General Aviation & Questions.

Happy reading, it's currently 207 pages long.

cheers, W

[olderairhead]

Back on track.

Update:

At the hearing on 6th May, 2016, the Judge gave both Legal Teams until the 8th of June, 2016, to define the legal issues and arguments regards the Legality of the 2015 Contract.

Also heard a whisper that the Industrial Relations Registrar may have expressed an opinion that the PNGA/NAPU have been treated unfairly with regards to the 2015 Contract. Rumour is that the Registrar is willing to give evidence to that fact.

[olderairhead]

While the entire pilot body is locked in the ongoing court battle with PX in the National District Court over the forced introduction of a non negotiated employment contract along with wrongful dismissals, the already strained relationship has soured even further.

On 17 May, during the PNG Human Resources National Institute national conference, the PX HR manager, Rei Lagona was awarded the best individual HR Practitioner for 2015.

One pilot is quoted - "Similar feeling to throwing up in your mouth and swallowing it"

For those interested the full report is here Air Niugini wins best SOE employer award | Loop PNG (http://www.looppng.com/content/air-niugini-wins-best-soe-employer-award)

[DHC8 Driver]

The PNG Human Resources National Institute - a highly respected prestigious organization I'm sure!

I can just envisage the entire management team, Ray, Sam, that used car salesman accountant they use as a financial controller, all dancing around the boardroom table - Ray at the front arse slapping and yelling 'Whose ya daddy'!

[olderairhead]

More leaked news from the house on the hill.

PX did not receive any suitable applications from their last advertising campaign. They are going to re-advertise again very soon but you will not see it on the AFAP job board.

Another F70 is due to arrive very soon but crewing it will be very difficult. Latest F100 roster has many scheduled flights not rostered because of insufficient crew so crewing another F70 will be very difficult indeed..

Also heard the sc@b word is being used internally against those that are freely willing to work on RDO's to the detriment of pilot group objectives.

[got you sighted]

I hear 3 more added to the wall of fame today. Any news?

[Mangi Fokker]

Fokker/Boeing crews having to pay for tickets to travel home on rostered days off will pretty much be an end to it. Not only do you deadhead on a rostered day off, now you have to pay for it.
Network applications close today.

[Duck Pilot]

Paying to "Deadhead" on a RDO? That's a new concept!

I'm supprised you guys are even allowed to be based off shore these days.

[DHC8 Driver]

They're not. All expats are POM based. ANG provides SHARED accommodation to the expat pilots.

You can however choose where your DOMICILE is. In previous contracts your domicile was the place from where you were recruited. That was the place they paid for your removal and your yearly free trip home etc etc etc. in the 2015 contract it became a quasi off shore basing concept. However ANG never intended it to be that way. Their intention was always to have pilots based in POM. Due to the fact that a large number of expat pilots refused to sign the contract and left the company made some adjustments allowing pilots to visit their domicile two or three times a month. Initially travel was tolerated on working days before or after duty (some might say illegally) and the company provided tickets. Now it would seem the company is reverting back to their original intention of having all expats staying in POM. If you want to visit your domicile you have to do it on your days off and you have to pay for it. Believe me this was always the company's intention.

Anyone contemplating working for ANG should know they will be POM based - don't be cajoled by terms like offshore domicile. When the new prison block (whoops - I mean pilot accommodation) is completed (SOON!) you will be living at 6 mile right next to ANG house - no shops within 2 km - absolutely nothing to do but look out your window at the dirty dusty airport - or perhaps duck across the street to the Gateway to drown your sorrows - because ANG properties are all no drink zones!! The hard right Christisn evangelists who run the company have decreed that.

DONT DO IT!!!!!

You have been warned

[olderairhead]

Just been advised ALL travel has to have prior approval from the 4th floor so if even you are paying for it yourself you need prior approval so there is no guarantee that you will get to see your family.

[Duck Pilot]

What about approval if one elected to travel with another carrier?

Are there any expats in non company supplied accomodation these days?

[olderairhead]

To clarify:

PX provides 2 tickets per month and issue is now subject to 4th floor approval.

ANY ticket issued by staff travel is now also subject to 4th floor approval.

They have no control over tickets purchased directly from other airlines.

As for accommodation PX provides accommodation or rental assistance for all expat pilots.

[olderairhead]

Press release published in the Post Courier by the Fraternity of National Professional Aviators 2 days ago. Draw your own conclusions.

Press Statement

Amid growing Safety concerns, we, the Fraternity of National Professional Aviators, join the cause of the students of various tertiary institutions and the Health Sector Unions for the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to step down in order to preserve the integrity of the highest office of the land.

May 27, 2016

"That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. "

President Abraham Lincoln - November 19, 1863

When President Lincoln uttered those words in a 2-minute speech at Gettysburg, they were so profound and encapsulated the essence of democracy. To this day, it remains the best speech ever. Those words are truer and more relevant to us Papua New Guineans as we, as a Nation, face challenging political and economic times.

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people and it shall not perish from earth”, assured through the last full measure of devotion, their lives. Lives given to free men from the shackles and bondage of slavery, in the belief that all men were born equal. As it was then, so it remains true today.

The people have spoken. Elected representatives on the floor of parliament or any hallowed halls of politics purporting to represent the people are merely instruments of conveyance. In the normal conduct of the business of governance, Norms and Protocols are observed.

These are not normal days we live in. The democratic process of governance and state institutions have been gravely undermined. As a result, our nation is poised on the brink of economic and political catastrophe.

As professional pilots, we ascribe to the ethos that no man is an island. It would be unconscionable for us or any reasonable person, for that matter to continue to turn a blind eye to the gross abuse of political office and mismanagement of the country's economy.

We share the nation’s concern and view with alacrity the snail’s pace at which the Judiciary is addressing high profile cases which are of monumental national interest.

The Safety of the traveling public is becoming a real concern. Shortage of spare parts for aircraft due to procurement difficulties imposed by restrictions on US Dollars, inability to meet payment obligations for overseas service providers on international networks, deteriorating infrastructures due to lack of finances and a plethora of other aviation related safety concerns are becoming real dangers by the day. They impact directly on the safety of the pilots and ultimately the traveling public.

We are now calling on all national professional pilots to take a decisive step in support of the rest of the nation including the professional doctors, health workers, and students by joining the chorus of disaffected voices calling for the restoration of the rule of law.

This country belongs to the people of Papua New Guinea. It does not belong to any one person, be it Peter O'Neill or anyone else. We, the people, may have given you the mandate, but you have more than amply demonstrated that you are not a fit and proper person to occupy that highest office of the land anymore.

We do not require the elections or the political representatives to decide for us. We the people have spoken. If you adamantly refuse to heed, then we call on all professional pilots to support the nation's call for action, by whatever is deemed necessary. The same call summons all Papua New Guineans because this government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish at the hands of one man who will not subject himself to the rule of law, and seeks to destroy the institutions which exist to ensure the very principles our founding fathers laid to uphold the rule of law and democracy.

We truthfully and solemnly declare that we are not influenced by any political interest or external parties. We are driven by our conscience and concern about our future and that of our children. We want an environment where prosperity is assured, equitable distribution of wealth and the rule of law in a thriving democracy prevails.

We call on all you members of parliament to ask yourself what your purpose of being in parliament is: are you there to serve your people, or yourselves? Your behaviours are of suspect. We ask that you salvage whatever little dignity and principle you have remaining and truly represent us your people in calling for the Prime Minister to respect the public office he occupies and subject himself to the rule of law.

For democracy and freedom we respectfully ask Prime Minister O'Neill to step aside and allow due process to take place.

[olderairhead]

Next Court hearing is scheduled for today.

[olderairhead]

Possible start of civil unrest.

PNG police shoot four protesting university students dead in Port Moresby, Parliament told - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-08/shooting-on-papua-new-guinea-university-campus/7489416)

PX email to staff:

To All POM Staff:

Latest reports coming in from Gerehu Hospital has confirmed that five (05) students are now confirmed dead and four are been treated for wounds.
Due to the situation at the UPNG Waigani Campus, there is a ripple effect that is going around in the Nation’s Capital.

Fighting has been reported around the Manu-Autoport 3 mile area, six (06) mile area, Gerehu and Gordons areas.

All roads leading into the UPNG Waigani Campus has been blocked off and Police are heavily guarding UPNG.
All UPNG students were forced back into the campus and the situation is been monitored from outside the freeway.

All shopping centres in Gerehu, Rainbow, Manu, Erima and Gordons are closed.

All Public Transportations including buses and taxis have been forced off the road resulting in no buses operating. ANG Waigani Sales office is also closed as a precautionary measure.

Staffs are advised to refrain from using the public motorways and to take extra precaution if need to travel.

Shift staffs are advised to wait at their respective work stations until clearance is sought and Security Transport will be sending buses to transport staffs.
Next update will be sent out at 1400 hours.

Ground Ops & Aviation Security Management

[Duck Pilot]

With regards to the above post, some media outlets have changed their tune indicating that there were no deaths, only injuries!

Time for the boss man to stand aside for a while, have his name cleared through the correct processes in order for the country and its people to move forward positively. Until this happens, nothing will improve and industrial disputes such as the existing one will never end where both parties end up with an agreeable outcome.

Any flights been cancelled as a result of this latest protest event?

[olderairhead]

Update

Transport was supposed to be back to normal today but a crew bus reportedly was stoned as crew were enroute to the airport. Transport services have been cancelled again due to safety concerns.

Also ABC reported incorrectly - no deaths but reports vary between 9 and 31 hospitalised - depends what paper you read.

[kumul1]

The crew transport has been contracted out to Black Swan, O'Niel's company, so it is at your own risk to be in one of those while tensions against him are high.

[Badengo]

Badengo

"The Q400's can't handle the terrain..." Mate have you ever flown a Q400? They pi** all over the terrain. Can depart Nadzab and be 6000 feet passing abeam the field and have made 18000 feet inside of 20 dme at pretty much MTOW without breaking a sweat...

Reasons for Q400 sale got NOTHING to do with performance.

Never said anything about performance. I know they smash the classics and so hey should! 5000shp a side haha. I said terrain...as in the ****ty landing gear hate it and the props can't handle it. Always doing blades!

Well only one left now so meh..

[got you sighted]

Old enlightened dude,

Did the court case happen the other day or was it postponed due to the unpleasantries?

[olderairhead]

The court hearing for the case took place on Wednesday 8th June at National Court Waigani.

The purpose of the hearing was to clarify and decide exactly the legal issues that are being claimed applicable to the case, and to hear PX response to them.

The next step should be to proceed to trial with those issues to be argued and decided by court ruling.

The pilot’s Lawyer had lodged the documents well prior to the required date. (There were seven main legal points plus a list of reasons why these issues arise.)

Surprise, PX was effectively a “no show”. K**** Layers for PX sent a junior lawyer rather that P**** K**** as required / listed and he delivered the following messages:-

1. Mr K**** is “sick” and can’t appear.
2. Intend to file a notice of motion for an adjournment
3. Intend to file notice of motion for case to be heard in a different court (this especially did not go down well)

The Judge was visibly angry and demanded to see K****’s sick certificate - which could not be produced. The Judge then asked the pilot’s lawyer “what is your position on this? “ He replied that it was “unfortunate” (since nothing could be done about it) and wanted the day’s total costs to be borne by ANL - this was granted.

The adjournment was granted; given there was no choice this time.

The Judge found point (3) to be “contentious”. This was because asking to be heard in a different courtroom is a request which is traditionally understood in the legal profession to be a way to ask for the case heard before a different Judge—usually of course because they believe that the Judge is biased against them.

Even a hint of the word “bias” goes down very badly in Judge’s circles.

The Judge then gave the junior lawyer a tongue lashing and told him to tell Mr K**** to “come very well prepared with a sick certificate - and a list of very good reasons why he believes I should disqualify myself”.( In other words prove to me I’m a biased judge).

What happens now?

The hearing has been adjourned until Monday 20th June. There can be no further adjournments.

At this hearing:-

1. The Judge will hear Kumans applications – and will rule on disqualifying himself.
2. It will be decided which issues will go to trial.
3. A date will be set for trial.

FAQ - What can Happen?

If / when the pilot’s win - can ANL appeal? -yes
But the appeal hearing CANNOT be adjourned
And the appeal hearing is FINAL.

Also worth noting is that IFALPA legal councel is interested in this case and offering any assistance / advice as required.

[olderairhead]

Hearing 20 June:

The Judge wants both lawyers to use the pilots affidavit as the guideline for the next hearing so that his honor will determine finally the legal issues to be trialed.

Lawyer for PX reckoned that the list of legal issues to be trialed is too long but the Judge objected saying all were valid thus the order was for both sides to use the pilots affidavit as the guideline for the pre-trial hearing directions by the Judge.

The next hearing is early next month on the 8th or 9th (to be confirmed) but after that hearing the case will be heard by a Trial Judge hopefully within the same month of July.

[Duck Pilot]

You guys will be pushing up daisies before a verdict is reached in this case.

[balusnomore]

You guys will be pushing up daisies before a verdict is reached in this case.

The 2015 Contract expires on the 30th of March, 2017, and the new contract will be reviewed (NOTE: NO MENTION OF NEGOTIATION) in the 6 months prior to its expiry.

I'd suggest that a verdict MUST be reached prior to AIRNOGAT/PILOTS issuing a new contract predicated on AIORNOGAT "REVIEWING" the contract, that being the one under the current Court Review.

From what I hear, IALPA is advising from the background, assisting the reported very, very, competant Legal Counsel that the National Airlines Pilots Union, supported by the PNG Airline Pilots Association, have engaged.

So, I suggest that any legal action would probably need to be resolved rather quickly.

Anyway, one way AIRNOGAT will have SOME pilots to fly SOME of its aircraft, the other way they wont have any.

Can hear the scream from Waigani now, "WHAT...NO JET TO HAGAN, AN ATR TO TO LAE, WHAT HAVE YOU MANAGEMENT GUYS DONE TO THIS COUNTRIES FINE AIRLINE!!!!

[olderairhead]

Heard a whisper that the PX lawyer asked the pilots lawyer what they wanted in the next contract. Response was along the lines of he will be advising his clients (the pilots), no conditions or exceptions - to definitely not to sign anything until this case is resolved. :D

Word is the PX lawyer looked uncomfortable hearing this. :sad:

Wonder if he had the goolies to pass this on to the worlds best HR manager? :rolleyes:

[balusnomore]

From what my old Expat "mates" are passing on is that any worsening conditions they will just simply walk as it simply wont be worth the pain for the skinny money on offer.

Then there is the National pilots (the new breed) simply wanting to leave as they can't understand why they are being shafted in money and conditions and no-one has offered a reason.

the worlds best HR manager?

Did he work at PX in the past,...SOLAIR as well?

[olderairhead]

You mean this one?

Air Niugini wins best SOE employer award | Loop PNG (http://www.looppng.com/content/air-niugini-wins-best-soe-employer-award)

[Mangi Fokker]

You mean this one?

Air Niugini wins best SOE employer award | Loop PNG (http://www.looppng.com/content/air-niugini-wins-best-soe-employer-award)

Yes, He did.

[Duck Pilot]

Heard that the AOC has been reissued for another 5 years?????

More SP White Cans please nurse, NAU!!!!!!!

Kunda catch

[olderairhead]

Just been informed that some more expats have resigned and that no more being put on.

Recruitment is now via the cadet scheme. Reports are the Fokker fleet is running very thin. Captains now occupy right seat due lack of F/O's

An F/O flying with an invalid licence has raised a few eyebrows but CASA is turning a blind eye.

As for the court case there should be a hearing today. Will update as I receive them.

[olderairhead]

Yet to be confirmed but QF is set to commence operations BNE - POM - BNE in October.

This would mean the code share with PX will cease. Wonder how PX will fill the 767 if they go head to head with QF?

[Bug4514]

Just been informed that some more expats have resigned and that no more being put on.

Recruitment is now via the cadet scheme. Reports are the Fokker fleet is running very thin. Captains now occupy right seat due lack of F/O's

An F/O flying with an invalid licence has raised a few eyebrows but CASA is turning a blind eye.

As for the court case there should be a hearing today. Will update as I receive them.

That F/O without valid licence wouldn't be bald would he?

[olderairhead]

The identity is not the issue, even if he may have extremely short hair, it is the blind eye by CASA and the acceptance of the PX system for this to occur.

[Bug4514]

The identity is not the issue, even if he may have extremely short hair, it is the blind eye by CASA and the acceptance of the PX system for this to occur.

Enough said, that person had the same issue in Aus.

[olderairhead]

My understanding is said pilot is from NZ not Aus and as I said the pilot is not the issue, it is PX and CASA.

[olderairhead]

Just been advised that the hearing on the 8th heard the final legal arguments and next hearing is on the 20/7 to finalise the "list" before it goes to the "actual court case", date to be advised.

[balusnomore]

Had the latest Air Niugini in-flight magazine "Paradise" link forwarded for a read.
Paradise Magazine - Air Niugini (http://airniuginiparadise.com/current-issue/)

In the “Chairman’s Message” of that magazine, the Chairman writes that PX was named the best State Owned Enterprise and its HR General Manger was awarded the best human resources practitioner of the year. (No mention which group of eminent and knowing persons did the selecting). He says “there has been a reduction in overall employee numbers, achieved almost entirely by redundancies and voluntary retirement”.

You have to wonder who dreams this stuff up, a complete disconnect between management and pilots, an inability of the company to provide anything like a stable roster, some of the worst salaries drawing the highest taxes in the Pacific, with around 70 pilot resignations thus far due to the deplorable contract conditions.

No mention in the "message" that Air Niugini are presently funding an expensive legal defense where the Pilots Unions, representing a large portion of the 180+ pilots have had to take Court Action to get ANG to listen to the concerns regarding the way the 2015 contract was forced on its pilots.

The fact that Air Niugini has avoided industrial action (as stated in the "message") has solely been due to the Pilots believing that the 2015 contract issue was so fundamentally wrong that the courts will correct it, rather than needing to cause grief to the public by that type of action.

This “best SOE and best HR practitioner” who only communicate with its Pilot group by written edict and have zero communication whatsoever with the two bodies representing the pilots, considering them as simply "Enemies of the State", do not have the right to wear the badge of best of anything.

So, while management types pat themselves on the back and write about each other, sadly the good people of PNG suffer by flight cancellations and continual delays due to crew shortages.

Good luck to those that remain and all the best for your upcoming court case.

[NCD]

Wasn't sure if to post in the thread http://www.pprune.org/australia-new-zealand-pacific/581389-abc-news-regarding-png.html or in this one, but all probably related.

So, am told that Yesterday at PX around 20 tech crew were unavailable due to being sick, up to 9 aircraft went tech and up to a dozen destinations didn't get serviced.

Maybe the protest did happen!

Maybe just no Reserve coverage, but 20 is a bit of a stretch to cover admittedly.

Wondering how the other PNG airlines fared?

[Duck Pilot]

And it wouldn't have been a result of the footy game the night b4 because we are all Maroons supporters.

[olderairhead]

I have had it confirmed that 19 Nationals called in sick.

PX's take on it Air Niugini reassures passengers | Loop PNG (http://www.looppng.com/content/air-niugini-reassures-passengers)

And from an extremely reliable source:

Dear All,

Please be advised of the following CANCELLATIONS for today (14JULY2016) operations due aircraft unserviceability and tech crew shortage.

DASH 8 FLEET
PX856/857 POM-GUR-POM
PX7990/PX7991 POM-WBM-POM [RESCHEDULED SVC FROM YESTERDAY]
PX860/861 POM-MDU-POM
PX7800/7801 POM-DAU-POM [RESCHEDULED SVC FROM YESTERDAY]
PX964/965 POM-GKA-POM

FOKKER FLEET
PX7182/7183 POM-HGU-POM [EXTRA SERVICE]
PX202/209 POM-HKN-RAB-HKN-LAE-POM
PX154/155 POM-GUR-POM
PX250/253 POM-BUA-RAB-POM
PX102/103 POM-LAE-POM
PX104/105 POM-LAE-POM
PX4290/4243/4241 POM-MAS-HKN-MAS-POM
PX244 POM-HKN O/NIGHT
PX186/7 POM-HGU-POM

BOEING FLEET
PX290/291 POM-MAS-POM
PX084/085 POM-HIR-NAN-HIR-POM

Also note status of the following afternoon departures:
PX5290: NIL F100 F/O
PX274: NIL F100 F/O
PX098: NIL F100 F/O

All stations please advise passengers accordingly and also take note that at this time there is no definitive assurance regarding aircraft and crew availability tomorrow as well.

[olderairhead]

Seems like the cull of expats is having an affect on PX.

More from the extremely reliable source:

WORKING ON DAYS OFF

ALL TECH CREW,

Due to the extra ordinary situation the airline is currently having with crew shortage and flight disruptions the management wish to make an announcement to crew who would like to assist the airline by working on Days Off in reducing the backlog that we are currently facing.

The recent disruptions have affected the airline financially and have created a negative image on the National Flag Carrier.

The incentive offered is the doubling of the current rate for Working On Day Off (DO).

Your service is for the people of Papua New Guinea and those willing to assist please do immediately inform crewing on XXXXXX or XXXXXX on XXXXX for immediate planning.

The incentive is offered for period between is to 23rd of July 2016.

Your assistance would be greatly appreciated. With thanks,

[olderairhead]

With the current shortage of crew and the impact upon PX trying to crew flights an extremely reliable source has told me that "management" went around to a pilot's house who had called in sick and "threatened him to fly"

The pilot went to work and signed on but the Captain was not prepared to fly with him under those circumstances and sent him home via the doctors.

Maybe more to come.

[olderairhead]

As for today's operation, info is that 23 have called in sick.

[olderairhead]

Latest gem from the world best HR manger which is really going to alienate pilots even further, especially those going on leave during this period.

TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF STAFF CONCESSIONAL TRAVEL PRIVILEGES AND LEAVE TRAVEL

All staff are informed that due to the current situation faced by the airline which has resulted in the large number of the travelling public affected, concessional travel and leave travel for staff is temporarily suspended until the end of the month – 30 July, 2016. This will take effect IMMEDIATELY.

Accordingly, staff holding concessional travel and leave travel tickets will not be accepted for flights, and in this regard staff should not present themselves at the airport hoping to get on flights.

Our priority and commitment at this time is to our full fare paying customers.

I trust you will all understand and I look forward to your co-operation.

[ad-astra]

From an ex PX driver my thoughts go out to you guys.
The environment is difficult enough without the sort of treatment that you have been receiving of late.
A once great Airline now on the cusp of oblivion.
Only your efforts will bring it back to where it should be.
The people of PNG and the committed staff of Air Niugini deserve better.
Stay strong and unified.

[olderairhead]

Another 10 flights cancelled due no crew.

Sydney B737 replaced with B767 due no crew

Lost count of the number of displaced pax throughout the country being put up in hotels at PX expense

[Duck Pilot]

No mention of flight cancellations for the corporate clients?

[troppo]

what a shame. px was once one of the best little airlines around the pacific. highly experienced drivers doing it out of passion and money. take one or both of those factors away it and this is what happens. the management, executive and board should be accountable to all citizens for this **** up. it's not like it's happened over night, there has been a concerted effort to destroy the airline but once past pnr this is what you get.

[Metro man]

This is just the tip of the iceberg compared to what is going to happen once the resignations start kicking in en mass in a tight group. An offer to the current pilot body will have little success as by that stage minds are made up and better jobs have already been found.

What's left of the training department won't be able to cope with all the training and checks required of the new pilots joining. The only pilots interested will be short term contract merchants who will demand a premium for working in a place like PNG. This will result in considerable resentment from the few pilots that remain and whose pay is considerably below the new joiners.

Flights will continue to be cancelled until the company is able to get ahead of the bookings by about six weeks and puts out a skeleton timetable which they can actually operate. Most of the fleet is grounded due to lack of crew. There will be considerable anger amongst the population who have little alternative to the national airline.

Newly hired pilots lack the all important local experience and many incidents will result, some serious. Each new pilot operates to his own particular set of SOPs because they are better than AirNiuginis.

Takes around 18 months to sort out and get back into the position the airline was before it all started. Millions of $$$ down the drain, someone gets made the scapegoat and fired.

[DHC8 Driver]

Metro Man pretty well sums it up. Capt Too Far is on the record as saying getting rid of the expat's contract was the removal of the last bastion of colonialism from PNG. Well they have pretty much achieved that.

Good job ANG management team. You guys really should give yourselves a big pat on the back. What a great little airline you have made. It's a shame there are no pilots left to fly the planes.

Now the only thing that can save ANG is a sh*^t load of cash - and PNG is broke so that ain't gonna happen !!!!!!

[NCD]

So Air Niugini is begging guys to work on their days off and then send out a memo cancelling staff leisure travel (which is simply sub load, space available anyway) until the end of the month.

That's seems a clever way to win the hearts and minds of the pilot group in a time of need.

[mauswara]

I bailed out of PX about 1 yr ago when they closed offshore basing.I wondered how long it would take for the ****e to hit.Looks like managements "Kakaruks are coming home to roost" about now.Too much damage done for the offer of an extra "30 pieces of silver" to WDO will have any effect.To those still there,plenty of jobs around "in the real world!"

[-41]

time to get some Antonov's in from the Congo?

[DHC8 Driver]

time to get some Antonov's in from the Congo? they would if they could but there is no money left in the coffers to pay for it!

Only chance is if O'Neil is ousted next Friday and the whole ANG board gets sacked - new management throughout - good chance this will happen

[Sausage Stuffer]

Well an overseas holiday and before we even made it through customs at Mascot I had a whole new chapter of the Pixie soap opera to enjoy. By the end of the drive home, there was another chapter. No wonder it has the highest pprune ratings. Truth is certainly stranger than fiction and in this case living up to the "land of the unexpected" tag they used to use.

Having coffees today with an old PX PNG stalwart who is still very well connected it was extremely interesting.
It seems that he has it on good authority that the PM has a cunning plan to avoid losing the vote of no confidence on Friday 22nd.
Seeing as he is well short of the numbers according to the inside sources, he has a plan worthy of any banana republic dictator.

The thrust of the rumoured plan is to select a group of ministers considered susceptible to a little “incentivising” , and fly them and their associates, wives and whoever to Gurney and feed them money and b.s. for a few days.
Then the plan is that they will return to Moresby and all happily vote 1 for Mr O’Neill. This would be exactly what the “concerned citizens movement” doesn’t want of course.
They have apparently said that they would be happy if nothing changed except the current PM was removed from office and politics, although looking at their media releases they would like a much more sweeping change.
Further inside info is that O’Neill has obtained 165 million Kina (from ANZ bank ---I guess there is another mole in there) to fund his little project in Gurney.

However if there are no pilots to fly to Gurney then the plan could come apart, which would make the concerned citizens group very happy. I’m sure that they couldn’t fit enough in the Government Falcon to make it work.

A shame to see the slow demise of what was the old aviation alma mater for so many of us, but as Basil Fawlty said “all good things come to an end.” I find it sad, as my memories of the flying and the living there are all good , albeit a very long time ago now.
The current management have a lot to answer for, it is my contention they would be directly responsible for the causing the obvious "disengaged" attitude of the pilots with their treatment around their current employment contract.

Karma in action.

[touring_pilot]

Total chaos again today. Pilots calling in "sick". Flights cancelled, pax stuck all over the country and not able to meet international flights home etc. Total shambles!

[olderairhead]

Sausage Stuffer they got away but not on PX.

More than 80 Government MPs leave for Alotau | Loop PNG (http://www.looppng.com/content/more-80-government-mps-leave-alotau)

[olderairhead]

Latest update from my sources:

Backlog of passengers is now so huge that ticket sales to the public have now been put on hold until at least Wednesday.

National pilots are still calling in sick.

Ex Fokker pilots doing DHC 8 upgrades or conversions to the Boeing fleet have been recalled from courses and SIM back to the Fokker fleet due to severely critical crewing levels.

And of course there are the few leeches who are agreeing to work on days off - and they are the usual well known culprits.

[olderairhead]

This just came in:

As of now (18:46pm) Sunday 17 July 2016, the following union representatives are meeting.

National Doctors Association President and Secretary, Air Niugini Pilots Reps, Air Niugini Engineers Reps, Maritime Union President, Energy Workers General Secretary and Legal Counsel, Mosses Murray.

NDA President announced that as of tomorrow 9am, all doctors nationwide will stand down and will operate for emergencies only pending the result of the VoNC this Friday. In the meantime, their 21-days petition will go ahead due to 2 other petitions (petitions 2&3).

Pilots and Engineers will continue their strike. Maritime workers have already slowed down their workload. Ships are filled up the wharf. Energy workers are set to join the strike.

All going well, Pilots will continue their strike and Air Niugini Pilots will not fly. A few of the flights that have been undertaken have been under the command of expatriate pilots.

About 40 National pilots will not fly starting again tomorrow onwards.

The position of the Unions was for Peter O’Neil to step down as Prime Minister and has nothing to do with the current political developments for the Vote of No Confidence.

[LostProperty]

A relative flew BNE-POM yesterday on one of the 767s and it was not full - he had 2 seats. He reckons there were only about 50 people in the POM terminal at 2.30pm. Could not get on a PX flight to Lae until early this morning but when he did there were only about 20 pax and not many people hanging around the airport there either.

[olderairhead]

40 more called in "sick" yesterday.

Been told a number of expats are about to run out of hours very very soon which will only make the situation worse, but when you are not selling tickets at least the pax numbers are decreasing.

Just imagine if the court case fails, more expats leaving and nationals as well. Could well be the beginning of the end.

Has been suggested to me that if the 4th floor started to read this forum they might find a solution to the shambles they have created.

[Sicofit]

Sounds like someone might have brought their business plan over from APNG

[mauswara]

Foreign Correspondent,ABC Tonight @ 9:20 pm AEST for the latest on PNG Political Crisis.

[olderairhead]

The court case on the 20th was a non event. Once again the PX lawyer was a no show. The excuse - "He is stuck in Garoka and can't get out".

Pilot lawyer contacted him and he said no way would he let the junior present anything.

So a new trial date has been set - 2 August and is reportedly the FINAL hearing that defines the legal issues and statement of agreed and disputed facts.

So after that the trial proper commences unless the vote of no confidence today changes the landscape.

[olderairhead]

Just to hand-up to 15 national pilots have just been suspended. No further details as yet.

[olderairhead]

From the CEO 21/7/16 to all employees:

Dear Colleagues,

As you all know, the call for stop work commenced on Wednesday 13 July 2016. It has significantly affected Air Niugini resulting in numerous flight disruptions and cancellations, complaints from the travelling public and loss of business. By yesterday, 20 July 2016, Air Niugini has suffered the effects of the stop work for one week.

I remind you all the reason behind the call for stop work is political in nature. It is not because of any industrial dispute between Air Niugini and its employees, or any Union group. The advice from the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations is that the stop work action is illegal, as the reason for stop work is not related to any Industrial Issue between the Company and its employees, nor has any application/complaint been lodged with the Department on any Industrial Issue.

Since the stop work actions commenced, Management in Its endeavour to get the Pilots to come back to work has applied due process under its administrative and contractual arrangements. Management has also had informal meetings with certain Pilot personnel with a view to finding solutions to the matter. A formal meeting with the Pilots Air Pilots Union (NAPU) representative has also taken place. In all its efforts, Management has taken a consultative and co-operative approach to address the matter.

Despite all these challenges, Air Niugini has continued to deliver its services safely and expediously as required to the travelling public. However, Air Niugini has also incurred significant financial costs and losses. Air Niugini's image and brand has been affected resulting in loss of confidence by its customers. The relationship with our code-share partners has also been affected. This is an unfortunate and undesired situation.

Management will continue to pursue its conciliatory efforts to address the stop work with the Pilots. In this regard I strongly appeal to this group to seriously consider the effects of the stop work on Air Niugini.

I sincerely thank the majority of all staff for your support and co-operation during this difficult and trying time. I have no doubt you have all contributed enormously, to ensure our customers are served. Your efforts are very much appreciated

[Mangi Fokker]

Was there a "call to stop work" ? I thought some pilots just went sick, as they are legally entitled (and morally obliged) to do. I hope the suspension notices are suported by Air Niugini's exposition or the pilot contracts. Otherwise the company's management may have inadvertently given NAPU a reason to lodge an industrial complaint.

[olderairhead]

I have been told by a very reliable source that the suspended pilots are still suspended without pay.

There was even one pilot who was on annual leave overseas at the time who was also issued with a suspension notice!

Pilots have been ordered to see the company doctor for "a second opinion".

This even includes a pilot who had prior approval to take his child to Oz for medical treatment to front the company doctor for a second opinion.

Also the removal of some Cairns flights from the new schedule further reduces the ability to get home on days off. Troops are not happy.

[LostProperty]

I notice that ANG are operating PX5 POM-BNE this afternoon using a F100. Wonder if it's a shortage of planes or crew?

[olderairhead]

Wonder if it had anything to do with the 737 that had an engine flame out as it was taxiing into the parking bay? Plenty of fuel on board, cause yet to be determined.

[olderairhead]

Court case was due to be heard today but for reasons not known the judge did not sit.

It has been rescheduled for Thursday this week.

However the PX lawyer approached the pilots lawyer asking for the disputed facts to be reduced. Request was denied.

[olderairhead]

The case went ahead and the Judge wanted various disputed facts moved to agreed facts and vice versa so that the case can proceed.

There is still an application by the PX lawyer to have the sitting Judge removed from the case. It has been suggested that the rearranging suggested above may have been done so that if he is removed the incoming Judge would not have to revisit old legal argument and the case wold progress as expected.

Next hearing is 9/8/16.

[Mangi Fokker]

The judge also asked for a comprehensive list of pilots who had left the company rather than sign the new contract.

[olderairhead]

IAC global are advertising for F100 pilots.

PX did not get anyone applying to their recent advert.

Einstein says it is pretty obvious.

You have been warned, beware!

[balusnomore]

Working for PX through a Contract Company reminds me of one of Obama's lines in the 2008 Campaign.

"You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig."

[olderairhead]

7 more Nationals have just been suspended.

Also the job advert at IAC global has now been confirmed as being for a south pacific country - surprise! IFALPA and AFAP have been advised.

Expecting an update on last weeks case very soon.

[mauswara]

Olderairhead, so another 7 "Citizens" suspended!! (w/out pay?) is that for the same offence , ie "going sick". Must be wreaking havoc with the flight schedule? Any word on flight cancellations %'s.

[olderairhead]

Yes, happened last Friday and some very senior I am told.

There is a new schedule with a lot less flights, they say due economic downturn but we all know how PX work - it is to save face because they can't crew them.

[olderairhead]

Just received this legal update.

There was no sitting, instead pilot’s Lawyer saw the Judges associate and was told the Judge would hear the Pleadings, which is the finally agreed to statement of Agreed and Disputed Facts, and “Formally Accept” them. The date for this hearing is 7th September.

The Judge will be running the trial. The application to have Judge removed is still open but in essence it means that the Judge is being asked to agree to remove himself from the case, which apparently he is not going to do.

In informal discussions the Lawyer was told the Judge wants the case finalised by December.

The Lawyer is also meeting with Department of Labour and Industrial Relations regarding the treatment of Cadets which may lead to an Industrial Dispute, depending on results of meeting.

[olderairhead]

Further update just to hand.

An industrial dispute will be registered today. 14 pilots with more to come currently suspended without pay.

Rapidly heading towards industrial action by NAPU.

Quote: "AirNiugini has gone nuts"

[Minosavy Masta]

Maintain the Rage guys.....it all started going Pear Shaped for Air Niugini Management since 1985 when the Flying Dutchmen couldn't distinguish between Dutch Courage and Dutch Logic...so the finger in the dyke doesn't always cut the mustard......to mix a few metaphors 😜 " Simple " obviously didn't learn the lessons......Ahhhhhh Jeeeez I'm glad I'm Not in Paradise anymore. 😎

[olderairhead]

After the lodgement of the industrial dispute the Departmental Head from the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations has now become involved and ordered PX and the suspended pilots to a compulsory hearing chaired by an impartial from the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations.

That hearing will be today (22nd) and both parties, PX and suspended pilots, where the grievances will be aired and then PX will be able to respond.

Normally there is a 14 day notice period before such a hearing but given the prolonged period of suspensions and the seriousness of the matter the Departmental Head has seen fit to hasten the process, hence today's hearing.

Bottom line is a settlement must be reached.

Failing that a report will be made to the Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations and:

acting on advise,
(a) Shall, if required by the parties to the dispute, or
(b) May if he/she thinks fit,

Direct the Secretary Labour and Industrial Relations to refer the dispute to an Arbitration Tribunal for a decision and making of an Award.

[NCD]

Apparently no show by PX Management yesterday.

Failing that a report will be made to the Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations and:

acting on advise,
(a) Shall, if required by the parties to the dispute, or
(b) May if he/she thinks fit,

Direct the Secretary Labour and Industrial Relations to refer the dispute to an Arbitration Tribunal for a decision and making of an Award.

Mmmm....considering that the "Sik Out" was rumoured done in order to force the Government elected Prime Minister to step down, I wonder what direction would come the Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations (who was appointed by said Prime Minister).

[olderairhead]

The axe has been sharpened, 3 more pilots were terminated today.

Update:

The reason for termination was insubordination because after calling in sick they didn't get a second medical certificate as directed by the EMFO. Rumour has it that one has already been reinstated.

[olderairhead]

Latest update is that 4 were terminated and 1 reinstated. In all 15 called in and awaiting on the outcome of the "interviews" for the remaining 10.

The suspensions without pay is now in excess of 40 days however the employment conditions, written by the company and forced upon the pilots, says this can only happen for a maximum of 30 days.

Suppose they can write the rules and break them at their pleasure, or is that Waigani pressure as suggested from those at the coal face.

[Mangi Fokker]

Heard a rumour there might have been more multiple sackings yesterday.

[olderairhead]

I had it confirmed today that another 3 were terminated.

[Duck Pilot]

What's the aircraft/pilot numbers now? Are the engineers busy doing export C of A's or are they rebranding the aircraft in the hours of darkness followed by a carpark pissup at 6am..........

[olderairhead]

http://www.pngblogs.com/2015/02/png-soes-teetering-and-are-on-brink-of.html

AIR NIUGINI Ltd The 2013 audited accounts are not available on the company web site for 2013. The IPBC web site shows Air Niugini’s last completed audit was 2012.

The company is in breach of its own Act, the IPBC Act, the Companies Act, the Tax Act/Regulations, and the Audit Act.

The company’s directors are:

Frederick Reiher, chairman
James Tjoeng, deputy chairman
Noel Levi
Luke Minjikuli
Leslie Hayward
Ken Harvey
Gary Tunstall
Ian Tarutia
Evangaline Taunao, alternate director/IPBC representative
They should resign/be sacked and criminal and civil investigations should be undertaken at Air Niugini. Sir Fredrick Reiher is a crony of the Prime Minister, and a political appointee to the board and as chairman. He was involved with the Prime Minster in the public housing scam, and has a long history of dishonesty and corruption. He has been placed at Air Niugini to serve the interests of the Prime Minister and Minister Micah. It is unclear what the other directors and the senior management do to earn their money. And what is Ms Evangeline Taunao doing on the board? She is supposed to be an independent watchdog on behalf of the airline’s owner IPBC rather than be taking part in Air Niugini board decisions. She has a conflict of interest.

It is clear from the latest panic cuts to pilot pay that Air Niugini is heading for bankruptcy just like PPL.
Other publicly available information highlights the failure of the board and management.
The airline is operating at a loss of K37.8 million, or K8 million worse than in 2013. Revenue is down and costs are up and the company underspent its quarterly capital budget of K32 million by K7 million.

This is a crash waiting to happen.

[olderairhead]

Court update.

At the last hearing on the 7th parties were ordered to serve documents on each other and the next court date set for 12th October.

As for the 6 National pilots terminated the company has tried to evict them from their accommodation and it is rumoured that the cadets involved have been asked by the world's best HR manager to forfeit their licenses.

There has been an application yesterday to have a restraining order to stop the company from proceeding with the evictions.

There has also been an approach to a MP to intervene on behalf of the pilots so there is a three pronged attack, court, department of labour and political.

[olderairhead]

So the CEO is more important than the travelling public.

F/O on the Rabaul flight called in sick but there was no coverage so the F/O from the Cairns flight was told to do the Rabaul flight. The CEO departed 10 minutes late. As for the Cairns flight? Who cares!

[olderairhead]

PX operate to Moro and Oil Search pay PX for the hard lying allowance however PX in their wisdom decided to pocket this instead of paying the pilots the allowance. Oil Search have recently been advised and the sh!t hit the fan. PX, red-faced, now pay the allowance.

From a senior Boeing Captain the company has not had anyone applying for a job......... Wonder why?

[olderairhead]

Just in:

Report from the PX awards night..

And the award for worlds best HR manager goes to….


RL!!!!!

Hip hip

Who? Ray?

Hip hip

Who? Ray?


Worlds best 3rd world airline management team

Goes to…



TooFar HooRay Pty Ltd….



There was an Invisible CP award but he didn’t appear to be there…

[olderairhead]

It's been a busy place with news.

From a very reliable source:

A 767 guy crewed a flight from SE Asia whilst terminated, only problem is PX forgot to tell him until he landed that he was terminated. Pity the date of the termination letter was dated earlier than the flight. CASA and the CP have not become involved. Heard the fleet manager is a tad upset.

And from another very reliable source:

The PM is very annoyed that his jet has only had 2 pilot's available to fly him around since 2014. PX have not recruited since the departure of the fleet manager back then. One goes sick the plane sits on the ground which has happened on a number of occasions very recently. Source says they will not pay market rate so cannot even get casuals.

And last one for the day, there was supposed to be a F100 ground school starting today but there is no-one on the ground school. Instructor sent back to Brisbane. Maybe if any nutter applies they may run the ground school.

Rumour also has it that ICAO may be visiting soon but that is yet to be confirmed.

[AdelaideAU]

Thanks for the continued updates Older,

[olderairhead]

Duck Pilot these are pretty close based on a/c arrivals and crew departures.

767 x 2
737 x 3
F100 x 7
F70 x 9 (when all delivered)
Dash x 7
Q400 x 1
Pilots 175

Fokker crewing levels close to 2.4

[olderairhead]

Heard from a mate at an East Coast Fokker operator that they have been approached to provide training Captains to PX.

They desperately need additional crew and also have no-one to train them so killing 2 birds with 1 stone.

Source could not confirm employment contract details but suggestion is it will not be the current contract, nor could it be confirmed length of contract.

Will be interesting to see if any of them accept this fantastic offer to work for a third world deteriorating so called airline.

[tripelapidgeon]

If you have safety concerns with PNG operators particularly with the lack of or ineffective oversight by the PNG regulator and they operate into Australia and hold and Australian foreign AOC you can confidentially report via the ATSB's confidential reporting system. https://www.atsb.gov.au/voluntary/repcon-aviation/

[got you sighted]

To any East or West coast Focker operators. Please remember that Air Niugini is in an industrial dispute with both the PNGAPA and NAPU. This dispute as I understand is also supported by the IFALPA and AFAP.

[Duck Pilot]

I hear the F100 has now got approval to operate to Micronesia at night using Tokua (AYTK) as the alternative. Have CASA PNG approved a F100 or two for EDTO operations?

Tokua as an alternate with the ash problems, unrealiable WX forcasts and lighting, put together with no precision approaches, potentially at night - what are they thinking apart from the dollars?

[DHC8 Driver]

The rats are right into the Swiss cheese at Air Niugini. The holes are getting bigger and bigger. But don't worry - the management team have morning prayers at their daily morning meeting - Jesus will protect you all guys - fear not - onward and upward - now where is that MEL?

[tripelapidgeon]

Like a number of operations at the PNG national carrier unfavourable internal risk assessments are either ignored or the messengers shot down in flames. Just the turnover in staff and managers in the safety and quality departments is evidence of this. A very cosy relationship exists between PX and CASA PNG ("The Fiji connection")Approving a Fokker 100 for EDTO/ETOPS beyond a nominal 75 minutes would indeed be problematic and on the bounds of legality as the Aircraft was never approved or certified for such operations and is unsupported by the original manufacturer or its successors. It is no secret that PX has very marginal ETOPS operations for example its B737 operation RJAA-AYPY where the use AYNZ as the final ETOPS alternate. While on paper AYNZ may tick the boxes in practical and real terms it does not. Numerous safety reports by flight crew pertaining to that operation and many other serious safety events have been ignored by both PX and CASA PNG. This is just one example. There is much to be said about the ineffectiveness of the box ticking that goes on in Audits such as IOSA and organizations such as PX gaining BARS gold standard from what is written in their manuals and not what happens in practicality. All that can really be said in the end is that safety of the travelling public is being compromised by the shortcuts taken by unprofessional and ill-informed management and ineffectual and corrupt oversight from the regulator.

[olderairhead]

This week the number of departees since the introduction of the current contract has hit 93. The number just keeps on growing.

[Mangi Fokker]

Rumour of two further dismissals not previously posted on here, both believed to be Captains.

[NCD]

Got you sighted….
“To any East or West coast “Fokker” operators. Please remember that Air Niugini is in an industrial dispute with both the PNGAPA and NAPU. This dispute as I understand is also supported by the IFALPA and AFAP.”

Tru, the two ANG Pilot Bodies have to date paid an extraordinary large sum of money in legal fees in order to contest what both organizations see as not only unjust, but a managerial “take it or leave, no consultation/no negotiation” attitude”. ANG will have paid much more to defend its perceived right to do what it wants.

That Court action drags on and when it will finish is anyone’s guess. By all accounts it is a bitter dispute.

HOWEVER, for every Australian East/West Coast Fokker Captain that is considering a PX Contract, there would be at least 20 PX Fokker Captains (and other jet fleet Captains as well) standing in line wanting your job as soon as it was vacant. As for PX First Officer Fokker jobs, actually lets just make that PX First Officer jobs, well there will be a continual supply of those positions for quite some time.

Olderairhead….
“To paraphrase he mentions aircraft numbers.”

In respect to the Fokker Fleet, I think at the moment there are about 11 Fokker 70/100’s. The pilot numbers are hard to work out due to the recent sackings of Captains and First Officers but there would be around 23 – 26 F100/70 Captains. That number includes both the Check and Management Captains. There is still more F70’s to arrive. The shortage of crew is not just a Fokker fleet problem; hence Fokker’s on the HIR, NAN and VLI routes, which are B737 routes, DH8’s (classic and -400’s) on Fokker Routes etc.
It would seem that by necessity the schedule has been reduced to suit the pilot numbers as opposed to being increased to suit the number of arriving aircraft. Kind of handy for engineering tough, plenty of scope for XMAS trees to get parts from.

Duck Pilot….
“I hear the F100 has now got approval to operate to Micronesia at night using Tokua (AYTK) as the alternative. Have CASA PNG approved a F100 or two for EDTO operations?”

Haven’t heard of any EDTO (or even ETOPS) approvals, but those Fokker guys flying the routes are told that all ops are within 60 minutes of a suitable alternate. In addition to Tokua, Kaviang (KVG) is also available as an alternate, and of course TKK for PNI and vice versa. GUM is available with a precision approach at about 550 miles from TKK, admittedly in the wrong direction.

Tripelapidgeon….

Sounds like you have experienced working for a PNG SOE. For those not familiar SOE (State Owned Enterprise), means that the PX Government owns and in all probably (practicality?) has a lot to do with the direction the Company takes, or does not take.

Olderairhead…. (again)
“This week the number of departed since the introduction of the current contract has hit 93.”

That number would include one or two deaths, 3 or 4 compulsory age retirees, couple of failures, retrenchments (ha-ha, smart move that one!!), and more recently, quite a few sackings. The ANG seniority list would be around the 160-180 mark (6 fleets)

A figure of about 50+ Expats is bandied around as having left solely due to the 2015 Contract. That is a large percentage of the expats that were present at the end of 2014. And in just about every case each has gone on to a much better and more family friendly job. Apparently there are few (NO) regrets from those that left.

Prior to that 2015 Contract the resignation rate was quite negligible, satisfaction was high and conditions were good. Then the 2015 Contract was drafted, a total disconnect initiated by HR to the Pilot Group and the “take it or leave it as you are all replaceable attitude” became the norm, preceded of course by the change of management that occurred prior to the change to that attitude.

A new Contract is due by around April next year…there has been no contact whatsoever with the pilot groups as to what the T & C’s will contain. Most surmise it will be worse.

In a recent ANG Paradise editorial, it was stated: “In meeting the challenges and opportunities ahead, we are underpinned by confirmation of our outstanding safety records over 43 years of service to the nation.”

Perhaps mention could have been made of the experienced PX pilots who operate in some pretty difficult conditions have underpinned that safety record, of which there are now 93 less than there was only 2 and a bit years ago, (which would equate to losing something well over1/2 a million flying hours plus, with a large extent of that “Pee N Gee time”).

Good luck to all ye that still sail in the good ship Pixie, hopefully the tide shall turn and fair winds will abound.

[olderairhead]

From The National newspaper today:

AIR Niugini has sacked eight pilots for allegedly taking part in a “politically-motivated” stop-work in July which caused flight delays and cancellations.
They are Captain Joe Kumasi and First Officer Boris Ageda (Boeing 767), Captain Ben Lopa and First Officer Elijah Yuangi (Boeing 737), Captain Vince Tongia and First Officer David Sekan (F100 and F70), and Captain Norman Daniel and First Officer Abel Kanengo (Dash-8).
Kumasi told The National yesterday that they received their termination letters from Air Niugini last Thursday, the eve of independence anniversary.
Air Niugini chief executive officer Simon Foo yesterday said the eight were sacked as “disciplinary measures” by the company.
Foo said from July 13, 2016, the airline had “experienced an unusual increase of national pilots reporting sick and therefore unable to attend work”.
He said there was a call for stop-work in various sectors including the aviation industry by the “aviation fraternity”. It was allegedly to support weeks of protest by university students who were demanding that Prime Minister Peter O’Neill stepped down to allow police to investigate allegations of corruption against him.
Foo said the stop-work was “politically motivated and began on July 13, 2016”.
“The sudden increase in the number of national pilots reporting sick and unable to attend work from July 13 to 20 affected Air Niugini flights,” he said.
“The airline customers were greatly affected during this period. Air Niugini experienced numerous flight delays and cancellations,” he said.
“Consequently, Air Niugini’s image and branding was severely tarnished, losing valued customers to the opposition airlines both domestically and internationally and incurring significant financial loss.
“Apart from the core group of national pilots, all other employee groups attended to work as normal – the ground staff, aircraft engineers, flight attendants, expatriate pilots and other national pilots.
“All those pilots who reported sick were requested to see the Air Niugini company doctor to verify their medical conditions as a second opinion, with all costs to be paid for by company, as due process because so many pilots reported sick on July 13, 2016 and onwards.
He said the airline management, under the circumstances by way of due process and duty of care and to satisfy its safety requirements, had to carry out such a process.
“As a result of this event, management has reviewed and applied appropriate disciplinary measures to the staff concerned,” he said.

[olderairhead]

I wonder if it is a coincidence that coinciding with the pending arrival of the ICAO reps to investigate CASA that some of the recent sackees are reportedly writing to CASA about alleged management safety breaches?

Hasn't happened before because everyone was concerned that CASA would report to PX anyone who raised issues and then face getting the chop.

Will be interesting to see what happens next.

[Mangi Fokker]

Any truth to the rumour of several Check Captains resigning?

[Duck Pilot]

Off the topic abit.....

Comparing PNG to the rest of the world interns of their 2014 ICAO audit findings doesn't paint a flavourable picture.

Look at this link http://www.icao.int/safety/pages/usoap-results.aspx

While the results aren't graded on Air Niugini's performance, they would be very concerning to any PNG operator who operates internationally.

If it is true that ICAO are going in for another look, I genuinely hope they come away with some better results than the 2014 audit.

[faheel]

Air Niugini's pain is PngAir's gain.
The turmoil at pixi is helping to prop up Pngair..one incompetent manager helping another incompetant one.:confused:(

[Sicofit]

Sorry Faheel,bad as Pixi has become,PNG air has to much of a bad reputation and with the same management,a new name and a few new aircraft,people and mining companies don't want a bar of them.

[faheel]

Nope, its amazing what shiny new aircraft do to the travelling public's perception of an airline.
Couple that with all the flight cancellations that Pixi have made..the only way for people to move about is on PngAir.

[olderairhead]

NCD I have been informed that the flight to Micronesia will operate at night and my sources also tell me that in the PX manuals it states that Tokua is not to be used for an alternate at night and yet in fact the flight plans show it as the alternate at night.

Reliable source also tells me pilot's are in fear of sacking if they do not comply. Worlds best HR manager would make sure of it if directed by Toofar.

[DHC8 Driver]

Now let me think about this one Older.

Get sacked from one of the world's worst airlines and escape from a filthy corrupt dangerous country where most people hate you. (I'm not being racist here - this statement applies to both expat and local pilots).

Or risk your health, career and maybe life flying thirty + year old F100s out over the Pacific at night with no ETOPS approvals or capability, with an alternate that is not a suitable airport (Tokua is about 15 nm from an active volcanoe that erupts sporadically and has very unreliable lights), and with poor radio coverage (HF with San Fransisco very unreliable at times). And you'll probably have a handful of MELs just to make it a bit more exciting.

Why would you do that? It's like I was once told by the then Fleet Captain I could use Hoskins as an alternate for Lihir at night. I pointed out that Hoskins doesn't have lights. I was told you don't need lights for an alternate!!!!!

For god sake guys get another job or just walk away. Every pilot that left ANG in the last two years either got a better job or a better life.

[Mangi Fokker]

Please clarify, a PX Fleet Captsin thought HKN a suitable night alternate?

[Duck Pilot]

Just like operating the Dash 8 into Chimbu, lots of fancy numbers and procedures to make everyone feel good. Any major failure after about 40 knots through to the flap retraction height would ended up in serious injury or death. Great fun though, sadly I'll probably never get to do that kind of flying in a large aircraft ever again.

[olderairhead]

At the recent interviews for Fokker F/O's, applicants were turbine experienced from other PNG operators. They were told they would not be considered for command upgrade until they had 3000 hours on type.

So 5 years on B scale to get a command on a 30+ year a/c that hardly anyone else operates with deteriorating work environment.

Story is that some are considering the offer and after 500 hours do a bolter with some jet time under their belt.

[Metro man]

Qatar or Emirates would have a look at 500hrs jet, but you'd be behind those with Airbus or Boeing time.

[NCD]

If those interviewed are considering an offerered Contract, have it in mind that the terms (and conditions) of the current contract expire on the 20th day of March next year.

The current contract was a huge reduction in both terms and conditions over the previous one, without any negotiation whatsoever...PNG's best....

Who knows WHAT will be on the table when that dismal piece of ****e contract expires in March next.

[olderairhead]

A very reliable source has just emailed me and said that there were only 4 interviewed for the FO slots and so far none have been offered a position. Poxie in their never ending self belief had booked 3 x 4HR SIM sessions expecting to be flooded with applications. They only used one.

And to top that off Toofar had forgotten to renew the SIM contract and paid more than if someone walked off the street and wanted a session with a trainer!

Poxie - a never ending money pit with managers who are a protected species.

[balusnomore]

...a never ending money pit with managers who are a protected species.

Don't know about that, I hear that at least one Manager is trying to improve the financial bottom line...... by decreeing that when attending Courses in the Training Centre you will only be allowed one paper cup per day for your drink of water or coffee (or both).

Wonder how many paper cups equal 1 hour of Sim time?

[olderairhead]

For those mathematically inclined:

PX has 11 Fokker's with one more to arrive and has 20 line Captains and 4 check Captains with one not flying too much so that is only 2 Captains per aircraft. Schedule is about to expand with Micronesia flights and Cairns flights (QF pulling out) added so one can expect many cancellations.

Another interesting fact is that since the introduction of the new contract 143 weeks ago there has been an average of 2 pilots leaving every 3 weeks. If that rate continues there will be no expats left in around 97 weeks.

[olderairhead]

Sometimes it is funny where one gets information!

One of my spies tells me that an office that deals with pilot conditions have been told to build a new set of lower pay scale tables for the pilot body.

Whether it is true or not will be revealed when Poxie present their new employment conditions when the current disputed ones expire.

Never a dull moment in paradise.

(edited to protect the guilty)

[Duck Pilot]

Latest rumour is that they will be operating the drones from the 4th floor, operated by a bunch a 4 year olds using iPads.

[tripelapidgeon]

IPADS hah hah - the four year olds WHO will have to buy them themselves then salary sacrifice the cost . Same as Toofar's plan for aircraft EFB'S

[olderairhead]

After many months of speculation it appears that the complete split between PX and Link PNG is about to become a reality.

Link pilots attended a meeting last night for a presentation of the new stand alone Link contract.

At this stage there is no hard copy available (maybe PX are scared it will be leaked) but as further details come to hand they will be shared.

[Mangi Fokker]

That's less than they get now. How is that attractive ?

[Duck Pilot]

Is this competitive with what PNG Air are paying their Check Captains?

Is the gross figures mentioned the total salary package, ie they take the super, housing, travel, etc out of the quoted amounts or is it based on the pay (cash component) before it is taxed?

[Dash Balus]

Currency stabilised to the Australian Dollar for those touring/commuting from off shore

What method will they use to achieve this?

Will salary be an AUD amount no matter what the exchange rate is or will a exchange rate figure be nominated which would cause variations in offshore pay?

[Duck Pilot]

All the salaries should be pegged at the AUD, regardless of the place of domicile, especially if they want to encourage pilots to be PNG based.

It's very interesting that you they have thrown touring options on the table. I was under the impression that tours were never going to be an option again.

[mauswara]

PX management (& Govt!) Hate "Tours", that its back on the table is a true sign of their desperation.

[olderairhead]

Some points to remember:

Prior to the enforced contract pilots had 6 weeks leave, this was reduced to 4 weeks along with a 20% - 30% pay reduction. The new non negotiated contract now offers an additional 2 or 4 weeks but with a further pay reduction of 5% or 10%. Better off? No a further reduction.

Expats are not allowed to be paid super, the 8.4% is only for the Nationals.

Tours are for Kiwi's only as previously. Lose the kiwi's and you lose The C&T pilots - Link then has a serious C&T problem. Nothing new here.

The experience bonus has always been there, once again nothing new.

Any new hiree will not be able to get a gig in PX as they will on the LPNG seniority list only and not entitled to bid for PX positions.

Once again a non negotiated contract with the company still in court over exactly the same situation.

Worlds best HR manager at his best.

[fortybelow]

A further thought - how long is this contract valid for? Until "mutually agreed" as per the contract under dispute was valid until (Ha), or for some defined period?

Any newcomers should be very wary. There are some great folks at PX and link, but I would take any "contract" as being good for only as long as management want to it be for...

[olderairhead]

Maybe the tide is turning and the worlds best HR manager has finally met his match!

The Waigani National Court has stayed the termination of eight national Air Niugini pilots after they were terminated between Sept 1st and 15th over allegations of misconduct.

Their lawyer Moses Murray successfully obtained a stay order that was issued by Justice Collin Makail this afternoon against their termination.

Captains Joseph Kumasi, Vincent Tonga, Norman Daniel, Boris Ageda, Benjamin Lopa, and first officers Elijah Yuangi, David Seken and Abel Kanego, have been allowed by the court to resume work, pending the hearing of the judicial review.

The decision of the National Court today came after leave was granted for a judicial review into their respective terminations.

Air Niugini has also been restrained from evicting the pilots from its properties.

First Officer David Seken was evicted from the Air Niugini accommodation on Sept 30.

The court today issued an order to Air Niugini to allow him to return to his place of residence until further orders of the court.

Their lawyer will have 21 days from today to file the review documents. They are expected back in court on Nov 7.

The fundamental issue that the court will deal with in the review hearing is how the pilots were dealt with administratively over disciplinary matters.

They were terminated by Air Niugini for refusing to attend to the company’s approved doctor for a second medical opinion after they provided medical certificates for days they missed work on.

They were also terminated for failing to report for duty for reasons of security concern, and sharing Facebook posts that called for civilians not to go for work during the month of July.

Between July 13 and 20, 2016, Air Niugini experienced a sudden increase in the number of national pilots reporting sick and unable to attend work after a stop-work took place, calling on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to step down from office. The stop-work was not an industrial issue and began on 13 July.

They were terminated because they did not turn up for work, which resulted in many flights being interrupted and many passengers stranded during the stop-work period.


Court stays termination of pilots | Loop Tonga (http://www.looptonga.com/content/court-stays-termination-pilots)

[olderairhead]

The efficiency of the 4th floor never ceases to amaze.

Recently released FSO Fokker Fleet Leave Bids 2017 was published on 29/09/2016.

Stated: Bids are to be submitted by 16th October 2017

Published blocks available are for 2016!

Must make sense to someone but of concern is that the FSO was signed off by the Fleet Manager (expat) and Toofar.

What finger? What button?

[olderairhead]

The scheduled court hearing for yesterday was postponed until today because there were too many cases to be heard.

I am expecting an update tonight.

[olderairhead]

The update is that PX lawyers have not signed the paperwork as required by the court. Case is rescheduled to 20th October.

[splat72]

Stalling tactic's, PX are obviously hoping that all the pilots resign before the case gets to be heard, with no pilots all the problems will go away, Ray and Sam can kiss,cuddle and pat each other on the back and Simon can hide away in Rabaul and pretend the Airline is running just fine.
All good, problems solved,
Also if they leave all those pilotless planes sitting on the hardstand for long enough the squatters will move in, solving another png social problem of no cheap accomadation.

Its just a win win situation..........

[Mangi Fokker]

Well it's working. Three more resignations, to carriers offering far better terms and conditions.

[tripelapidgeon]

Link PNG are or will be advertising for direct entry Captains and F/Os for the old and beat up dash 8 fleet.

The old adage let the buyer beware applies!!!!!!!!!!

The exodus of expats over the last 20 months should be a good indicator of what the real terms and conditions are like let alone the ongoing legal action against PX regarding the unnegotiated contact change in 2015.

PX mainline's last recruitment drive was far from a success:ugh::ugh::ugh:.

[ARPs]

Here it is...

AviationJobs.Me Flight Crew: DHC-8 Rated and Non Type Rated First Officers Link PNG (http://www.aviationjobs.me/2016/10/dhc8-first-officers-link-png.html)

So much for Pixie management telling us all at the end of 2014 that all expats will be gone within 5 years. And that the cadet program was the answer to our replacement.

Less than 24 months later here is the same management advertising internationally for Dash 8 First Officers.
What has happened to the cadet program?

When I departed there were at least 20 cadets coming through per year onto the line? Anybody know how many cadets have started the training program this year?

To all my friends still there at Pixie, I hope the job lasts long enough for each of you to find greener pastures... even a 5 year drought would provide those greener pastures.

Hopefully someone within management, or the PNG Government, can see whats happening and step in to turn things around before it continues too-far.

[High 6]

Bit of a targeted ad one would say considering the salaries are quoted in SA Rand. The next round will also include Albanian Lek and Sudanese Pound.

[Duck Pilot]

They done a recruiting road show in Africa a few years ago, with no success.

Has any current or ex ANG pilots pitched an application into Qantas recently? Lots of hiring about to commence right throughout the Qantas group I hear.

[tripelapidgeon]

South Africans moving to Port Moresby. From the pot into a super hot frying pan wouldn't you say . Perhaps they can do 3 and 3 and get dumped in Singapore or Aussie on the px network
to find their own way home

[NCD]

Last few days would have proven to be problamatic in connecting anywhere on the PX network, esp international...sori nogut!!!!!

Am told other PNG operators like HeavyLift, PNG Air do equal time tours....and fund tickets ANYWHERE on the globe. ATR types rather than just a classic Dash as well, and from what I hear they are short too.

Good to see a bit of an increase the pay scales though. Seems someone is starting to disbelieve the fairy tale about trees in PNG that grow pilots willing to work for naught.

[splat72]

ARP,
I think it has gone toofar and PX has reached its PNR..........End of Days for Pixie me thinks.

[Minosavy Masta]

Onya Simon. I knew you didn't have it in you 😏

[faheel]

PngAir fund tickets to BNE tasol and are losing pilots on regular basis due to poor terms and conditions as well.

[NCD]

Faheel

Yes, the loss of pilots on a regular basis must be a major problem in PNG, (PX almost 100 pilots in a little less than 2 years!!).

The cost of training, loss of revenue due uncrewed flights, etc etc, must greatly outweigh the cost of reasonable conditions needed to retain experienced crew.

Beancounters would know better I suppose.

[Minosavy Masta]

Ahhhhh Beancounters.....Ya gotta luv Em They know the price of everything.....but the value of nothing!

[balusnomore]

Beancounters would know better I suppose.

HR Managers as well!!!

[troppo]

On a brighter note and in recognition of a life time of achievement. Captain Lekwa Gure retires after 40 years of safe aviating. Credit where it is due chaps.

[DHC8 Driver]

On a brighter note and in recognition of a life time of achievement. Captain Lekwa Gure retires after 40 years of safe aviating. Credit where it is due chaps.

Well done Captain Gure. It was a pleasure to know you. I always considered you one of the good guys.

[faheel]

time to join the retired old farts club Lekwa...well done :D:D:D

[olderairhead]

Court proceedings update:

THE sitting on the 20th went ahead and the following rulings were made:

1. Plaintiff's to file and serve their affidavits by 30th October.
2. Parties to return to court on 2nd Nov for fixing a trial date before December 2016

The end is nigh!

[Oldfart MCY]

Well done Capt Lekwa Gure.
It was a pleasure to know and work with you.

[Pinky the pilot]

Captain Lekwa Gure retires after 40 years of safe aviating.

I have an admittedly rather vague idea, that I once met the above mentioned Gentleman one evening at the 'Club Dero,' way back in my 'taim bilong PNG.' (Somewhere between Jan 1990 and mid 92):confused:

Either way, Well done, Sir!:ok:

[Duck Pilot]

Lekwa was an occasional visitor to the swamp!

Sadly I never had the pleasure of flying with Lekwa although he was always an inspiration to talk to. Congratulations Lekwa (if you read this forum), I wish you all the best for a well deserved retirement.

[oceancrosser]

I had the privilege of associating with Capt. Lekwa Gure during my tenures in the PNG in 2008 and 2012. A true and trustworthy gentleman.
Well done. Best wishes from another island, pretty far away. :D

[Plumber Fast Bum]

Well done Lekwa! Now you can join the rest of us who can say they worked for the second worst international airline in the world [still looking for the worst].

[mauswara]

"Plumber Fast Bum" (posts 1) Welcome aboard.Interesting monika,is there a story to go with it? cheers Maus

[SIUYA]

Plumber Fast Bum...

Now you can join the rest of us who can say they worked for the second worst international airline in the world [still looking for the worst].

Gold! :8

[Plumber Fast Bum]

Long story, Maus. Goes way back to Ansett days. Would need quite a few beers to retell.

[olderairhead]

For those that don't know him here is a good photo of S.T.
aka Sammies gone Toofar

Sam (http://www.looppng.com/content/air-niugini-spends-k20m-annually-training)

[tripelapidgeon]

Be aware that the latest PX ads advertise 18 days on 10 days off . This is a falsehood. You will not get 10 consecutive days off and if you live anywhere else but Port Morbid you will be commuting on your "days off" back to your domicile. So in reality you maybe home for only 5 or 6 full days in 28.

Port Morbid not a real option for families with the high cost of education be just one thing to consider.

[olderairhead]

The average of 2 pilots departing every 3 weeks as reported in post 397 is continuing.

There has been another 3 departures in October with another to be announced this week.

That now makes 100 have left since the arrival of the world's best HR manager and his introduction of the ECP.

[NCD]

Having been shown schedules 123,123A and 123B which shows greatly increased flying, guys are left scratching their heads as to how the schedules could be crewed.

By 123A there will be 3 less Dash skippers, 3 less Fokker F/O's and that is only the ones confirmed. More waiting for start dates or interviews in the new year.

Un rostered flights can only be covered by so called "RES", daily roster changes and extended duty for only so long.

Sooner or later management will have to lower themselves and communicate with those at the coal face,....but then again it would probably be be easier and more face saving just to cut the schedule once again.

PX would be a good study in how it is possible to ground an airline (that by its nature currently a current dependancy on Expats) by totally and wholly alienating its pilot group.

[olderairhead]

Latest court update from my very reliable source:

The pilot's lawyer filed the required affidavits on 31st Oct.
Poxie now wants to respond and the the judge approved so long as they are received "well before" the 24th Nov which is when a trial date is set.
Reportedly will be before the end of this year.

[LostProperty]

I notice that since 30 October Qantas have been operating a daily BNE-POM service using a 737. I thought I read somewhere that they were terminating services to PNG at the end of October but it may have been the CNS-POM service I guess.

[olderairhead]

The info I received was that all code sharing was to cease hence Qantas now operates a service BNE - POM - BNE in competition. The Qantas CS - POM - CS service has been discontinued.

Those closer to the operation may wish to confirm that my informant is correct or not.

[tripelapidgeon]

There is a soft code share where QF only pay for the seats they use whereas before Big red would pay for a seat allocation whether the seats where sold or not. I believe that the same applies for PX selling seats on the QF 737. Effectively Big Red would prefer to sell seats on its own Aircraft thus competing directly with PX. The reason the code share was kept in any form was because of the limited J class capacity of the QF 737 and a desire for the ability to ensure seat availability for their J class customers and keeping VA from poaching any. I think it would be very unusual to see QF Y class customers on PX aircraft with the exception of peak periods.

[tripelapidgeon]

I notice that since 30 October Qantas have been operating a daily BNE-POM service using a 737. I thought I read somewhere that they were terminating services to PNG at the end of October but it may have been the CNS-POM service I guess.
See my reply above re QF 737 EX BNE. The Q-Link Q400 operation has been terminated ex CNS the reasons being 1. Commercial low load factors but particularly low yield with a limited number of high paying business customers. 2. A shortage of pilots within the Sunstate/Q Link operation with a significant number of crew departing for the sandpit in recent times.

[olderairhead]

Passed on to me today is that the Q400 fleet does not have any Check or Training Captains. One wonders how this operation can operate under these circumstances.

Oh hang on it is Poxie!

[tripelapidgeon]

Passed on to me today is that the Q400 fleet does not have any Check or Training Captains. One wonders how this operation can operate under these
circumstances.
Oh hang on it is Poxie!

A spiv 183 approval condoned by CASA PNG for the checkie and too far himself the fleet manager.

[faheel]

bit of a stretch calling the last remaining Q400 a fleet ;)

[olderairhead]

Further info from Paradise is that Link PNG are so short of crew that they are emailing quite a number who have left asking if they would reconsider and return.

Tough decision that one, give up flying a B727, A320 etc and return to fly an old Dash in a 3rd world country.

Really hard decision!

Fokker flights are still being cancelled daily due crew shortages. CEO is demanding internal flights be cancelled so that the CS flight can operate.

And even more resignations about to hit the table once start dates are confirmed.

The exodus continues.

[olderairhead]

Latest buzz from PX is that Dash Captains are being poached by an ex employee who is now in a position of power with a competitor.

One has already handed in his resignation with another two to do so very soon.

Also been advised that the cadets have now joined the legal action.

Given that while sitting in the right seat of either a B737 or F100/70 and being paid B scale Dash F/O rates one can understand why they are so upset.

Have also been advised that even those cadets who have completed their cadetship are also on the same pay scale.

[mauswara]

Thanks for the updates from Pixie,Airhead.Sad to see this once great airline slowly fade away due to such gross mismanagement.

[Duck Pilot]

Off the topic a bit, does anyone know if NASFUND has invested money in ANG? If so how much?

[Sleeper88]

Pretty sure ANG is still a 100% government owned SOE and shares have not been floated or purchased by any of the local superfunds who the government was targeting for investment. The only shareholding NASFUND has in any aviation related orginisation is in PNGAir.

[tripelapidgeon]

Yes the PNG government is the 100% Shareholder in Px . With the responsible minister being the minister for state owned enterprises. Unfortunately the politicians via their cronies in px management are having more and more influence on day to day operations which was never the case. Decisions are now made on political imperatives rather than sound principles of safety and/or commercial reality.

[Duck Pilot]

Thanks for the responses re-NASFUND, it must be PNG Air.

[olderairhead]

Just been informed that PX are planning for the future!

15 Cairns flights between 25 Dec and 1 Jan have been cancelled due "commercial requirements".

It has been suggested that it is "pixiespeak" for "due crew shortage"

[balusnomore]

From Buddies still in the place..,

IAC GLOBAL are offering 2 yr Contracts for current F100 Captains and FO's.
Captain $13400 AUD per month, F/O $9300 per month.
Pay your own tax in Oz
20 days on 10 days off, Guarantee travel home on your 20th day.


Current PX B Scale Captain earns $11,996 AUD (totally dependant on the PNG exchange rate though), pays tax in PNG (LOTS more than AUS, without super) and is never ever rostered travel to and from "Domicile" in company time.

Guessing the exodus of 100 pilots in the last 2 years is starting to hurt, maybe now the boardroom hi fives have slowed down.

Thankfully one of the 100.

[Duck Pilot]

Is PNG Air flying in between CNS and POM?

Have plans on going to POM ex CNS in between Christmas and New Years. Makes it somewhat difficult now that Qlink have dropped the route.

Domestic travel during the holiday period this year sounds like it will an experience not to be missed.....

[olderairhead]

Maybe more like an experience that you will miss. :E

[faheel]

PNG Air Australian ops will not be allowed whilst tcas is director flt ops.
He is regarded by casa oz as not a "fit and proper person" and had all his approvals stripped from him when he was with skytrans.

On another note I have just heard their manager standards has resigned and is leaving the company due to his constant battle with tcas ...a great pity because he was raising the standards there.

[NCD]

Duck,

have been told that there are a lot of "consolidating" (read cancellation) of flights between POM/CNS/POM from DEC25 to and including JAN1.

Haven't seen details so no idea which flights wont go.

[olderairhead]

List of cancelled flights:

SUN 25DEC

PX094/PX095
PX098

MON 26DEC
PX098
PX091

TUE 27DEC

PX098
PX091

WED 28DEC

PX098
PX091

THU 29DEC

PX098
PX091

FRI 30DEC

PX094
Px095
PX091

SUN 01JAN17

PX094

PX095

[mauswara]

Thanks again Airhead, but wouldn't it be quicker and easier to just list the flights that they are actually "Planning" to operate, as they will be far fewer! It appears the Annual Xmas travel "CHAOS" is going to so much more FUN this year than usual, cheers maus

[olderairhead]

Total departures has now reached 100.

Just waiting for the details of yesterdays hearing. Will post when received.

[olderairhead]

I have just been advised that at the hearing last week the Judge finally set a trial date of 11th and 12th January 2017 with a decision expected to be delivered within 2 weeks of the trial.

This is after PX moved their Notice of Motion to have the case heard by another Judge which was rejected

It appears that the end is near.

[olderairhead]

2 very senior C & T Captains on the Dash fleet, both SIM qualified, have pulled the pin in the last couple of weeks creating a major headache for PX.

Also due to the chronic shortage of Dash Captains and failure to recruit it is being reported that PX is approaching previously terminated Captains over 65 to return.

World's greatest HR manager must be gloating now.

[olderairhead]

Another nail in the coffin for working in PNG.

From the BSP (in part):

Contracts between residents in denominated in foreign currency including employment and other service payments must be approved by the Bank of Papua New Guinea. Unless exempted, all payments between residents must be settled in kina.
Accordingly, employers must settle employment & other entitlements including reimbursements with resident employees in kina and are not permitted to send remittances direct to the beneficiaries overseas account. Employers are encouraged to advise all of their resident employees to open a kina denominated account with a PNG deposit gathering institution, preferably Bank South Pacific by 15th December 2016.

Full document here http://jmp.sh/VLpvU7R

[NCD]

Country has been runnnng low on foreign exchange for quite some time. Must be getting close to crunch time.

ANG even have a few pages dedicated to the subject in its inflight magazine

http://http://airniuginiparadise.com/current-issue/

Page 114.

[troppo]

Mmm...looking at Reserve Bank statistics foreign reserves have declined by USD$700m this year, as at September. Trying to keep money in the country...smells like devaluation is just around the corner.


Another nail in the coffin for working in PNG.

From the BSP (in part):

Contracts between residents in denominated in foreign currency including employment and other service payments must be approved by the Bank of Papua New Guinea. Unless exempted, all payments between residents must be settled in kina.
Accordingly, employers must settle employment & other entitlements including reimbursements with resident employees in kina and are not permitted to send remittances direct to the beneficiaries overseas account. Employers are encouraged to advise all of their resident employees to open a kina denominated account with a PNG deposit gathering institution, preferably Bank South Pacific by 15th December 2016.

Full document here http://jmp.sh/VLpvU7R

[NCD]

Troppo

I know jack about Foreign exchange, but I'm guessing it is as simple as the country is not getting the money in that it thought it would get. The only thing it has to sell is its natural resources, and the prices of that has tanked.

Consider that it has recently paid for the Sth Pac games, the FIFA Womens U20 World Cup Soccer tournament, is presently budgeting for APEC in 2018, not to mention all the highways it has built, it is no wonder there is no Fourex.

Taxes are going up, but governments don't get much tack from someone who is on 3PGK an hour, so the if you are working there expect either direct or indirect taxes to affect you, and probably hard.



All simple I think, PNG is spending more than it is earning, it has to buy it overseas, it probably borrowed more than it should.....and with the price of natural resources being so low they have not enough foreign money left over to be able to pay salaries overseas.

Scary to think that Aviation revolves around the USD.

Just as an afterthought (and the reason for the edit)...so you have to be paid into a PNG bank account in PGK, so if you live OS, you have to pay the transfer fees, exchange rates, bank fees, so the salary with the airline this thread is about , drops even lower.

[Metro man]

Do ANG still guarantee a set exchange rate for expats and make up the difference if the actual rate dips below it ?

[Duck Pilot]

The impacts of this ruling will have serious negative implications in other areas as well, particularly in areas where PNG doesn't have locally skilled professionals.

It's also interesting that the PNG government have signed off on dual citizenship recently for PNG nationals.

[NCD]

Metro Man

With regards ANG the only Contract guarantee is that if the exchange rate drops to .38c AUD it will be reviewed, but only once per year. Thus no stabilisation as such in what can only be seen as a very poorly thought out contract. (Hence the enormously high resignation rate).

With regards LINK, doesn't seem like anyone has seen a physical copy (written/electronic) but a Management Briefing states that salary will be fixed at .48c Aussie. Someone is thinking here!!

For those that get employed under the IAC Global Contract, you are not employed by ANG, your salary is paid by IAC in your countries currency (guessing AUD,).

773, that is probably oneway to get around it, but kinda sloppy, and tiresome when one has mortgage, car, loan payments, payments due when not at home.

However, a bigger issue is that if ANG is not exempt from the ruling, bank accounts need to be opened within 11 days!! Pity the guys on leave over the period.

The saddest fact is, is that this is a Govt announcement, ANG is the Govt Airline, and nothing has come from its HR/Payroll section as to what is going to happen.

[Duck Pilot]

It will be interesting to see what happens after the cut off date. Who is going to enforce this ruling, banks, companies, IRC or the Bank of PNG?

If this ruling is physically implemented, businesses in PNG who rely heavily on expatriates in their workforces are going to be seriously implicationed.

It's can be a major problem trying to TT money from PNG, especially if you have liabalities offshore. Additional to this you are limited to a maximum of K10,000 per day and K200,000 p/a that can be sent offshore without IRC approval. That only equates to about $82,0000 AUD at the current exchange rate.

[DHC8 Driver]

Point taken. It isn't the cleanest option but if Kina's need to be removed from PNG in a hurry, that's the way to do it.

On a side note, several of my former colleagues had payments as you mentioned. They just gave the PNG mastercard to the missus & she withdrew the maximum allowable on pay day (and subsuquent days after if pay was over the limit for withdrawal). The guys up there lived off a load & go card from Aus Post or a debit card from their Aussie bank.

As you rightly point out there are many ways of working around the problem, and if the benefits of working there outweighed the extra effort and inconvenience involved in these work arounds, you might tolerate it.

But the way things are working for ANG these days, (and please take my point that things are no longer anything like they were ten years ago), these inconvenient workarounds just make the whole exercise untenable.

[NCD]

With regards the latest posts regards the salary issue, it would seem that the pertinent word is "APPROVED".

Word coming back from others indicates that ANG is approved and the salary being banked offshore should remain the same.

Fingers are crossed, but thankful for those that asked the questions to the right people, it prob does not allay all fears, but it alleviates some of them, such as financial payments.

So, maybe ANG has unfairly become a subject of this issue....??

It would be wonderful if all the many other issues could be resolved so simply.

[DHC8 Driver]

With regards the latest posts regards the salary issue, it would seem that the pertinent word is "APPROVED".

Word coming back from others indicates that ANG is approved and the salary being banked offshore should remain the same.

Fingers are crossed, but thankful for those that asked the questions to the right people, it prob does not allay all fears, but it alleviates some of them, such as financial payments.

So, maybe ANG has unfairly become a subject of this issue....??

It would be wonderful if all the many other issues could be resolved so simply.


I'm happy to hear that for my friends still working at PX

[Metro man]

When I worked there in 1994 PGK1 = AU$1.41

[troppo]

Same year I did my first OE and went looking for a job. Got off the PX A310 that was doing direct flights to Auckland. Less than a grand return from memory. Bougainville underpinned the PGK. Whilst Sandline may not have been politically or socially correct that was the value to the PNG economy at the time. I remember advertisements in the NZ herald for Iroquois pilots to fly 'combat missions' in support of this. A long time ago now.
Devaluation of the FJD$ cost me a good six figures and then some. But as reserve bank policy and in terms of foreign reserves I believe devaluation of the PGK is only a matter of time. It is still over valued and controlling/limiting foreign remittances is the same path RBF went down prior to devaluation of the FJD$. An Australian (?) Economist predicted that the PGK will fall to about $0.20 AUD$ about six months ago...realistically that is what it is (currently) worth. Good for oil, gas and mineral exports as more PGK will flow in, bad for importers and inflation will go through the roof for a couple of years until the PGK 'fixes itself'. The only dig I will have is that a 10 year oil and gas boom has been squandered...sure global oil and gas have **** themselves but the PGK should have appreciated in value but that's the pacific islands and melanesia
When I worked there in 1994 PGK1 = AU$1.41

[High 6]

Hey wantoks, any updates? We hear the Christmas rush is becoming a bit of a logistical disaster with crew shortages and flight cancellations. Funny how that Christmas rush always creeps up on you, you never know when it will happen.....

[splat72]

I don't think most blokes give a **** anymore, just using up entitlements and collecting pay checks until the next job starts.

[tripelapidgeon]

Yep work for PX has become a jobsearch allowance. Or if you are an Aussie Newstart

[olderairhead]

Just received an update on the legal proceedings.

For the terminated 8 pilots, PX filed an appeal against the decision of the lower court that it is a private organisation and that the case is therefore a private matter and subject to damages only and not judicial review.

The appeal was heard on 6/12/16 and on 9/12/16 the judge ruled that PX was in fact a public company and therefore judicial review is available to the terminated pilots.

That case is now scheduled for hearing on 22/12/16.

The case for the contract is still scheduled for 11 and 12 Jan 2017.

[olderairhead]

Heard on the grapevine that PX could only recruit 4 Fokker F/O's, 2 of which the fleet manager vetoed but he was over ruled by a higher authority.

Also lease on Hell on vista will expire on 31 Dec so crew will be back into random hotels and left with nowhere to store their trunks. They will be waiting for the completion of Faulty Towers but may have to wait a little longer as I am told money has run out and PX cannot afford to furnish it!

[Duck Pilot]

Airways Appartments may have a few serviced 3 bedrooms units up on the VOR/DME hill going for rent. They were going pretty cheap when I lived there for 12 months!!!!!!!

[Mangi Fokker]

The court hearing for the 8 suspended national pilots took place on December 22nd. The judge has retired to consider his verdict. It should be handed down during January. The other court action over contracts, is scheduled for January 10th and 11th.

[splat72]

More cases of missing annual leave are appearing as pilots and engineers alike go to check their entitlements only to be told that instead leave days available they now owe days, in some cases up to 100 days.
Word from one dept manager is "no one has really made a fuss about it so HR will keep taking it away".

Think long and hard before you take a job with this Mob !!!!!!!!

[faheel]

great company to work for in the eighties...went downhill after they devalued the kina..I remember getting $1.65 for a kina in those days.

Localisation of higher management has not worked and Fooeconomics is a bloody disaster.:ugh:

[olderairhead]

Latest memo from the world best HR manager:

Annual leave, use it or lose it.

[tripelapidgeon]

But due to the shortage of pilots you cant take leave.

Many not taking leave working multiple day off to get the money,

Result = huge fatigue risk = you get tired pilots = you get stuff ups.

Will PNG's best HR Manager take the heat when a hull gets buried and the long suffering customers - his innocent fellow country men get hurt or worse

[olderairhead]

From a very reliable source this morning.

4th floor is having a crisis meeting this morning because with a fokker fleet of 12 aircraft being crewed by 25 Captains and 23 F/O's they cannot understand why crewing cannot roster all the scheduled and unscheduled flights.

Useless crewing. 😂

[olderairhead]

Reported back in this post http://www.pprune.org/australia-new-zealand-pacific/549457-air-niugini-s-subsidiary-link-png-20.html#post9525502 that PX was not to plan Tokua as a night alternate but according to a reliable source it has now occurred on a scheduled Micronesia flight at night.

Kavieng was NOTAM'ed as not available and Tokua was NOTAM'ed as STBY power unreliable yet PX planned and the PIC accepted the single engine alternate as Tokua even though the PX written policy is not to be use it as well ignoring the CASA lighting requirement Regs.

Wonder if it was the same Captain that accepted a Fokker with only the center tank fuel pump operational?

[olderairhead]

Breaking news is that the scheduled hearing commencing on the 11th is no longer scheduled. The Judge does not return from leave until the 1st of Feb. so the case cannot proceed until he returns.

At this stage they have not relisted it so a hearing date is yet to be advised.

After 2 years what is another month or two?

[olderairhead]

Busy day in paradise.

My source now tells me the Tokua incident had the approval of both Toofar and the fleet manager. The Captain was also a training Captain and accepted the plan.

There are those that now have serious concerns about the dramatic reduction in safety standards being demonstrated by those that should know better and believe that a serious accident is not too far away.

[olderairhead]

Hot off the press from my insider:

The court case is on again tomorrow!!!!

The pilot's Lawyer went to the Court house at 0830 this morning to be told that the case which was listed as "Judge xxxx's case" will now be heard but under a different Judge, the one that PX wanted because they are desperate to avoid Judge xxxx.

An associate contacted Judge xxxx , who was on holidays in Oz and told him that the case was to be heard now by the new Judge.

Judge xxxx said “definitely not, that’s my case” AND he has flown back to PNG today and he will be hearing the case tomorrow.

PX's underhanded skulduggery has failed.

[olderairhead]

Just been informed at this mornings hearing several matters were addressed but because a document was served on PX one day late the matter has yet again been adjourned for hearing now on 1, 2 and 3 of February.

The wheels of justice turn slowly but they are turning.

[olderairhead]

PX continues it's downward spiral.

Latest info is that 6 Fokkers were grounded yesterday. A new record. Could this coincide with the rumours that the engineers have just about had enough of current management?

Also of interest is that not one of the scheduled overnights actually overnighted. Morbid hotels had a field day with disgruntled PX passengers.

From my source "Shows what two years of mad management can do to 40 years of proud service."

[faheel]

and the ceo is still there ?
fooeconomics at its worst:{

[Duck Pilot]

Are they still trying to recruit with any success from far flung countries?

Gotta remember who the owner is faheel! Good to get on the piss in BNE last year to see our great mate off, I can still remember the hangover!

[balusnomore]

The 2017 contract is due March/April. How are the negotiations going.

Is it looking like the the 2017 one will be better or worse than the 2015 one.

[olderairhead]

Negotiations? Hahahahahahaha

Best joke I have heard for a very long time.

[Mangi Fokker]

How many Captains on the Q400 Fleet these days?