Pacific Blue and Airlines PNG to Codeshare on Flights between Port Moresby and Brisbane

Virgin Blue’s international airline Pacific Blue and Airlines PNG have entered into Heads of Agreement that will lead to the commencement of codeshare services between Port Moresby and Brisbane from November this year.

Virgin Blue will operate four return flights a week to PNG - a total of 720 seats - using Pacific Blue’s modern fleet of Boeing 737-800 jet aircraft.

To celebrate the announcement Virgin Blue has launched special fares from A$249 one way on the net (inclusive of taxes fees and charges).

The A$249 fares are for travel from 3 November 2008 until 6 December, 2008 and are on sale for 72 hours only (or until sold out). Everyday lead-in fares start from A$289 one way between Brisbane and PNG.

Papua New Guinea’s Minister for Culture and Tourism, The Hon. Charles Abel MP, applauded the new code-share partnership, “The Government welcomes the joint decision by both Virgin Blue and our own Airlines PNG to enter into this joint partnership agreement to provide airlines services both on the international and domestic sectors.

“My Ministry and the Tourism Promotion Authority of Papua New Guinea have worked hard in bringing genuine and independent competition to our airline sector to address one of the identified weaknesses in Tourism infrastructure and in the country generally.”

Airlines PNG’s Chief Executive Officer, John Fitzgerald, added, “When we first started flying between PNG and Australia, we provided real competition that significantly reduced the cost of air travel between our neighbouring countries. This agreement with Virgin Blue will introduce another strong carrier onto the route between Port Moresby and Brisbane and will heighten competition considerably because of the increase in available seat capacity.”

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