Air Niugini’s 1st Airbus A220 celebrates 50 years of independence with a special livery
September 12, 2025
Air Niugini has taken delivery of its first Airbus A220-300, marking the start of a sweeping fleet renewal programme for Papua New Guinea’s national carrier. The jet, leased from Azorra, departed Airbus’s Mirabel final assembly line on 11 September for a delivery flight to Port Moresby, with stops in Vancouver, Honolulu and Fiji.
Dubbed “People’s Balus”, the aircraft carries a special livery celebrating the 50th anniversary of Papua New Guinea’s independence. Airbus says 120 painters spent weeks applying 11 colours using an intricate airbrushing technique.
“This is more than just the arrival of a new aircraft—it is the dawn of a new era for Air Niugini and Papua New Guinea,” says Air Niugini’s Officer in Charge(OIC) and Acting Chief Operating Officer, Captain Samiu Taufa. “The A220 represents our commitment to safety, reliability, and service excellence, while proudly carrying our flag into the future.”
The first of 11 Airbus A220s for Air Niugini
The aircraft is the first of 11 A220s destined for the airline: eight A220-100s are on direct order with Airbus, while three A220-300s are being leased from Azorra. The A220s will replace Air Niugini’s ageing Fokker 100s and 70s, which have long formed the backbone of its domestic and regional network.
Configured with 138 seats, Air Niugini’s A220-300 combines the type’s hallmark spacious cabin with the range and performance needed to serve both short-haul domestic sectors and longer regional routes. Airbus highlights that the aircraft’s fuel burn and carbon emissions per seat are around 25% lower than the previous generation it replaces.
Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines power the A220, while the airframe itself incorporates 40% advanced materials and optimised aerodynamics to reduce drag. The type can already fly on a 50% blend of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with a roadmap to full 100% SAF capability before 2030.
The 25th operator of the Airbus A220
Founded in 1973, Air Niugini operates a mixed fleet of around 20 aircraft, including Fokker regional jets, Boeing 737s, 767s and Dash 8 turboprops.
The airline serves over 25 domestic destinations across Papua New Guinea’s mountainous terrain and remote islands, as well as international services to Australia, Asia and the Pacific. Its Port Moresby hub is the primary gateway for the country, and the A220 is expected to bring new levels of efficiency and comfort to these markets.
With this milestone, Air Niugini becomes the 25th global operator of the A220, which has now amassed more than 940 orders and over 440 deliveries. For Papua New Guinea’s flag carrier, it represents both a modernisation leap and a strong symbol of national pride.
