Air Niugini to conclude code-shared agreement with Indonesia's Garuda Airline.

Air Niugini, will soon conclude the code-shared agreement with Indonesia's Garuda Airline.

Discussions have been ongoing with Garuda and Air Niguini hopes to enter into a strategic alliance with the airline soon.

Air Niugini's General Manager Commercial, Dominic Kaumu, says they expect these arrangements to be concluded within the next month or so.

Chairman of the Air Niugini Board, Garth McIllwain, meantime says under this arrangement, Garuda will only be using Air Niugini to transfer its passengers and Air Niugini likewise to various international destinations;

Air Niugini

"We are entering into a strategic alliance with Garuda Airlines. And we will hopefully conclude some code-share arrangements with them as well. Garuda will actually use Air Niugini's aircraft to transport their passengers if need be. So, Garuda won't be at this stage be operating into Papua New Guinea. It will be only Air Niugini operating through the Port Moresby/Denpassar, Bali, sector. But we will carry Garuda passengers and Garuda will assist us with our outward passengers from Denpassar to other destinations such as Perth , Singapore or wherever."

This has been made possible under a new Air Services Agreement signed between Prime Minister Peter O' Neil and the President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, recently in Jakarta.

Air Niugini will conduct its inaugural flight to Denpassar on Indonesia's tourist island of Bali, on August the 5th.