LONDON: Domestic fights from Papua New Guinea airports were canceled on Thursday because of fuel shortages.
Puma Energy, the country’s sole gasoline supplier, said that a lack of foreign currency led to fuel supply restrictions that left thousands of passengers stranded.
Foreign currencies such as US dollars are used on the international market to buy the A1 jet fuel used in the aviation industry.
“Air Niugini wishes to advise the traveling public that due to issues with Puma Energy accessing US dollars, Puma has decided to suspend the supply of jet A1 fuel within PNG, including to Air Niugini and all other airlines effective from today,” Air Niugini, Papua New Guinea national carrier, announced on its website on Thursday.
Air Niugini said that the airline is “completely up to date with our payments to Puma Energy” and that “this regrettable situation is 100 percent outside our control.”
It added that its supplier was in dispute with the Papua New Guinea central bank, and was restricting fuel as a result, warning that international flights may also be disrupted in coming days.
Passengers called on Prime Minister James Marape to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
Marape said that the country is being held hostage by a dispute between the central bank and Puma Energy, and claimed the situation has become a national security issue.
According to the Papua New Guinea Today newspaper, Puma Energy told Air Niugini later on Thursday that it had resumed normal fuel supplies and the airline should be able to operate a normal schedule from Friday.
Difficult terrain and lack of connected roads in Papua New Guinea make air travel the most efficient and reliable mode of transportation.
