Air Niugini has officially welcomed its first cohort of Airbus A220 pilots from Latvian carrier airBaltic to Papua New Guinea. The arrivals mark the beginning of a 12-month collaboration designed to bolster operations for the airline's incoming Airbus A220 fleet while accelerating the training and advancement of its domestic pilot workforce.

Captain Andrej Rud and Captain Janis Kolontajs arrived in Port Moresby last week. They are the first of 30 highly experienced A220 captains slated to join Air Niugini progressively over the next two months. This strategic arrangement will provide immediate operational support and introduce instructor-level expertise to mentor local flight crews.

Speaking at a press conference, Air Niugini Chief Executive Officer Alan Milne highlighted the successful integration of the A220 program, noting that the partnership with airBaltic is a crucial step forward for the national flag carrier.

"This project, with the collaboration with Air Baltic, is the next step. It means that we're going to be able to operate the A220 a lot harder now, fly it more often, and provide our crews, the Air Niugini crews, with valuable training from the expertise that the Air Baltic captains bring with them," Mr. Milne said.

"This is a very unique collaboration. It doesn't happen all that often... It's a real win-win. It's a win for us because we get some great expertise to help train our pilots, and it's a win for Air Baltic because it keeps their pilots employed and busy, and a new opportunity to come and visit the wonderful Papua New Guinea."

Mr. Milne further added that the 12-month pilot sharing agreement includes an option for extension as Air Niugini advances its comprehensive fleet modernization strategy. The airline currently operates three A220-300 aircraft, with a firm order for eight additional A220-100 models, bringing the planned fleet size to 11 next-generation aircraft.

The A220 fleet is central to improving fuel efficiency, elevating passenger comfort, and strengthening the airline's domestic and regional flight network.

Air Niugini General Manager of Flight Operations, Captain Granger Narara, outlined a structured recruitment and training pipeline backing the fleet transition. The airline is prioritizing internal promotions, advancing existing Fokker and Dash 8 pilots to the A220 platform before backfilling those regional roles with external talent.

"The arrival of the airBaltic pilots provides a critical boost to our training capability," Captain Narara stated.

"As industry veterans from airBaltic—the global launch operator of the A220—these captains bring foundational operational knowledge that complements the training our team has already completed. They will fly alongside our local crews to ensure a seamless transfer of technical knowledge."

Air Baltic has operated the Airbus A220 since 2016 and currently manages a fleet of 55 A220 aircraft, offering a deep well of operational maturity that Mr. Milne noted will be invaluable to Papua New Guinea's aviation sector.

The cross-airline initiative is part of Air Niugini's broader workforce development program as Air Niugini builds robust local captaincy and crew self-sufficiency to sustain its long-term network growth in the operations of the new generation A220 fleet.