Travel Air ordered to cease operations.

[faheel]

Travel Air has been shut down due to unpaid lease payments on their F50 aircraft.

About time, by all accounts the owe 21 million kina in lease payments not to mention unpaid airnav charges and terminal leasing fees.

http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/103403:D

[Unregistered User]

Saw an F50 parked up in the old domestic apron area this last week..........Now I know why.

[Sicofit]

:=Spot on Faheel, these companies all seem to be of the same as they are able to operate on other people's money with no accountability.
It is surprising this outfit lasted so long given the its history. The next to go will no doubt be PNG Air or APNG as it was.
There seems to be a few near empty a/c running around.People have long memories so changing the name won't help.
They have some new a/c but the same tired old management,although I understand that one of their esteemed leaders has agreed to help with the demise of Link PNG by bringing his expertise to them as a senior manager.
I understand that PNG air Nowa have promoted some junior pilots to senior positions so what happened to the senior and experienced pilots that originally helped to give it some status,where have they gone?
Their current Ops boss has some history in Aus or so I am told.Maybe he can do something for them having had a background in management down south.
Still, if their loads are small as they seem to be even he couldn't do much.
There only seems to be Hevilift and FAT out of Tabubil who would seem capable of running a safe and profitable operation given their sound backgrounds.
Anyway, let's hope there are no more accidents as there have been too many that should not have happened.

[NCD]

by all accounts the owe 21 million kina in lease payments not to mention unpaid airnav charges and terminal leasing fees.

Chewed through a bit of money....seem to recall a "Govt Loan" of around PGK10 - 11 mill at the start up! Sadly they only recently put on a couple of guys...self funded endorsement?

Sicofit...I would not worry too much about PNG Air..partly owned by Super Fund and Pollies, to nominate just a couple of the shareholders. My guess for those reasons alone it will survive.

[Duck Pilot]

Cash freight and fares in the jungle will always make money in a Twin Otter, just need to keep the operation safe enough to avoid accidents.

To many operators with big toys competing on trunk routes. Rural PNG will always require air services.

[Pinky the pilot]

Cash freight and fares in the jungle will always make money in a Twin Otter, just need to keep the operation safe enough to avoid accidents.


Used to be able to do likewise in 'brumm brumms' (otherwise now known as Bongo Vans) way back when.:hmm:

Trouble is; From what I hear all the places I used to fly into, which for Douglas, Simbu, TNA, NCA etc were 'bread and butter' are now all closed!:(

Why is it so?:confused:

[Killer Loop]

AN INDONESIAN company has come to the aid of Travel Air and the partnership entered into, will enable it to continue its operations nationwide.

The announcement of the new joint-venture between the local airline company, also known as Mangi lo Ples, and Jakarta-based Trans Global Investment (TGI) was announced in Port Moresby yesterday by the Travel Air’s founder and chairman Eremas Wartoto and chief executive officer Captain Emmanuel Kadiko.

Also present for the event were senior executives of TGI who arrived in the country on Tuesday to cement the deal.

Travel Air’s operations were stalled last week and following a court decision relating to the company’s alleged failure to pay lease fees totalling about K21.2 million to an American-based company Aerocentury Corporation for its four aircrafts.

However, both Mr Wartoto and Captain Kadiko had assured the airline would continue to operate.

Mr Wartoto said under the joint-venture that TGI had agreed to provide three aircrafts so that it could continue servicing its loyal customers, 95 per cent of whom he said were grassroots.

He said he had held talks, both with the Department of Transport and Civil Aviation and Safety Authority PNG, pending the necessary approvals that these aircrafts would be brought into the country.

He said he expected that this would take at least up to a month.

"As the founder of the company, the 350 families who rely on the airline, I want to say Travel Air will continue to operate as soon as we can bring the aircrafts into the country," Mr Wartoto said.

Mr Wartoto said the decision to seek outside assistance was unfortunate but necessary to maintain this vital infrastructure and service.

He said while government and financial institutions in the country had been approached that the airline had been knocked back, due to his association with the company.

Captain Kadiko had on the issue of refunds, stated that the company had been able to reimburse about K800,000 to its customers and had assured those who had yet to get theirs, and would.

Source: Post Courier

[Sicofit]

:ok: PNG Air or APNG were never going to get much business out of or into Madang due to their poor safety record; people have long memories and are not fooled by a name change.
I believe they have the same management except for one of them who has now taken a senior position with Link, that would be like spreading the risk for the travelling public.
It is good to see Travelair back up and running and once they get the right people into their organisation they will dominate what is a lacklustre field.
Good luck to them they deserve it.
👍👍

[TBM-Legend]

Looks like three F50 repos from Indon failed carrier Pacific Royale..

[morenonsense]

Yeah , not flown in the past 3 years , sitting in the rain in Jakarta without any care and maintenance .

Regardless of the aircraft , I would not recommend this mob to my mother in law

Been insolvent since it started . Go troll through previous posts on this company . Bangladeshi run for years , owned by someone chased by the law in PNG and Australia and totally insolvent .

The owner of the aircraft passed away in January. Sad to see his faith in EW so abused

Simply not professional due to lack of cash . some good guys there . Management has been the issue - although there have been some good guys , they were always fighting the tide with a hole in the bank account that titanic would not plug

[NCD]

http://news.pngfacts.com/2016/05/travel-air-to-return-under-new-owners.html#ixzz4AIDLvXA0

Good news for air travelling public with Travel Air or popularly known as Mangi Lo Ples to commence full operation in PNG soon.
Travel Air and P. T Trans Global Investment & Trading from Indonesia today announced that the parties have come to an in principle agreement that will see Trans Global Investment & Trading and their new local PNG partner as the new owners and shareholders of the airline company.

“After our temporary shutdown of services in mid February this year, we are proud to announce that we will be in full operation in three months time with 3 units of Fokker 50 and 3 units of Boeing 737-300 aircrafts which has been identified and will go through safety inspections with the Civil Aviation Authority,” said Travel Air CEO Captain Emmanuel Bai Kadiko.

He stressed that they remain committed to continue operating Travel Air as Mangi Lo Ples for the common folk of PNG while remaining affordable and accessible.

Former owner and Chairman of Mangi Lo Ples airline, Mr Eremas Wartoto said, sometimes you have to let go of your hard work for the greater gain of others.
Speaking at their announcement of the ownership transition, former owner and Chairman of Travel Air Mr Eremas Wartoto said that it was a hard choice for him to make but he had to make the decision based on the condition of the business plan in terms of execution by the new owners.

“Trans Global Investment & Trading knew there were a lot of debt and liabilities incurred by the previous management over the years and that was the risk they are willing to take. But I am pleased to know that they are on the same foot with my aim when I started this company and that is based on the concept of minimizing the cost process to benefit the grassroots population of PNG,” said Mr Wartoto.

New owners Trans Global Investment & Trading from Indonesia knew about the liabilities and debts involved with the company but have done their research on the concept of the business plan and they are happy with it.

“We are not too concern on the price tag but we want to maintain the company’s credibility and sustainability which is very important, and they will maintain all of the airlines operation processes from the past,” said Trans Global Investment & Trading CEO, Mr W. Shakthi. S, BBA.

He admitted that part of their business plan is to make money like every other business does, but the most important aspect is to make air travel more affordable accessible for the simple people by standardising the airfares for all destinations regardless of the hours it takes to travel.

Mr Sahkthi also revealed that once the Civil Aviation Authority completes all safety inspection with their aircraft and they resume full services, they will re-activate all routes that have been used previously to maintain its services. PNGFM / PNG Today

[chimbu warrior]

B737-300 into Hagen or Madang should be fun to watch.

[NCD]

Not that much use for a 737 domestically in PNG, I would have thought.

Most places too short or narrow, Tokua full of holes, Gurney, Manus, Nazab ok, but movements restricted by NAC to minimise Runway and Tarmac damage.

Most places have had U/S NAVAIDS for many, many, many months meaning visual or GPS approaches only.

Maybe Travel Air going International. 😳