Phil (aka POMPOM) writes a letter to the local newspaper

Phil has decided to join the throng of PNG people writing letters into the local newspaper

Bumped Off For a Bunch of Trekkers

Come on Air Niugini sort yourself out. Three of us arrived at POM airport early and ready to check in with our confirmed tickets. At check-in we were told we were waitlisted as there was a large group of trekkers travelling on the plane. So what? We had booked our expensive seats and as executive club members travelling on important business in Popondetta expected to be given priority over a group of grubby gung ho Hooray Henrys who wanted to get bitten by mosquitoes on the Kokoda Trail. We sat in the Paradise Lounge in expectation. The flight was called and we went to the departure gate only to find no seats were available and despite the flight being officially closed the Kokoda Trail Trekkers still hadn’t cleared security. The supervisor had previously promised to get us seats as we were travelling on important business but in true Air Niugini fashion denied this and wasn’t able to fulfil his promise. Perhaps Air Niugini has gone into the private charter business for the Kokoda Trail Trekkers? Surely PNG travellers who are forced to pay their exorbitant prices should be informed of this? There seems little point in getting up early and paying well in advance for flights which are knowingly overbooked. Worse still we later found out (after the plane had flown out) that 3 seats were used for the trekkers’ excess baggage!  We PNG residents  pay millions of Kina for Air Niugini flights plus the executive club membership every year. What for?  We are bumped off the flight for a grubby bunch of occasional Australian visitors and their bags of insect repellent. The profits from the trekkers will presumably have gone back to the Australian economy!!

Come on people of Papua New Guinea, stand up for your rights and DEMAND a better service from your NATIONAL AIRLINE – it’s time for a revolution!!!!!

Stop being TANFU’d (Typical Air Niuigini F*** Up).  It doesn’t make it ok just because someone says ‘sorry’ and most times they don’t even say sorry!!

POMPOM a disgruntled Air Niugini Customer