Why it matters
Affects Air Niugini loyalty members and route planners. Relevant for Accor Live Limitless elites and award redeemers.
What happened
Air Niugini, the national airline of Papua New Guinea, has quietly canceled its order for two Boeing 787-8 aircraft. The order, initially placed in 2023 with deliveries expected in 2026, was pushed back to late 2027 before being dropped. The cancellation leaves the airline's wide-body fleet future uncertain. Air Niugini currently operates two Boeing 767-300ERs, both of which are leased and have leases expiring at the end of 2026. While a lease extension is possible, the aircraft are over 30 years old. The 787s were intended to replace the 767s, offering improved range and capacity. The decision follows a period of uncertainty, with the chairman citing "changing circumstances" in early 2025 and the CEO later reaffirming the strategy. The airline recently appointed a new CEO focused on profitability and preparing for partial privatization. Meanwhile, Air Niugini continues to modernize its narrow-body fleet with 11 Airbus A220s replacing older Fokker models
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