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.

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?

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

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.

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.

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.

Had the latest Air Niugini in-flight magazine "Paradise" link forwarded for a read.
Paradise Magazine - Air Niugini

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.

Wasn't sure if to post in the thread http://www.pprune.org/australia-new-...rding-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?

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

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

PX's take on it Air Niugini reassures passengers | Loop PNG

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.

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,

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.

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

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.

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.

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

No mention of flight cancellations for the corporate clients?

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.

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.