Weary business travellers will be delighted to discover facilities at Port Moresby’s Jacksons International Airport have received quite an upgrade recently, and none more so than Air Niugini’s new-look Paradise Lounge. Business Advantage PNG takes a look.

Air Niugini’s spacious new Paradise Lounge.

For much of the last year, waiting for a plane at Jacksons International Airport has been an unpredictable affair, even for those who are members of Air Niugini’s Executive Club (and executive travellers with the national airline’s codeshare partners, including Qantas).

International Terminal renovations for the Pacific Games have sometimes—understandably—taken priority over the provision of some creature comforts but now, with the Games upon us, we can see the results of some major investment by the National Airports Corporation, Air Niugini and a number of tenants (including CPL Group’s newly-opened Prouds duty free store).

Air Niugini’s recently-opened Paradise Lounge, located in the International Terminal—officially re-opened by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill this week—is a case in point. It has been relocated and redeveloped to standards comparable with any airline lounge worldwide, in a project that took seven months to complete.

Immediately noticeable is a welcoming new reception and a significant increase in space—there’s now room for 145 passengers to sit in comfort, compared to 48 in the old lounge.

As well as significantly more space, the lounge has a range of comforts and conveniences that one would previously have had to travel overseas to experience.

There are showers, comfortable lounge seats and widescreen televisions, while passengers can enjoy free WiFi, or charge their laptop or mobile phone at one of the workstations.

A major improvement in the Lounge’s food and refreshments is especially welcome.

‘The new Paradise Lounge at Jacksons represents the start of a rollout of new lounges for our Executive Club members.’

A tasty new menu

Air Niugini has partnered with Port Moresby’s Crowne Plaza Hotel to develop an upmarket menu featuring gourmet meals and snacks, as well as a wide range of alcoholic and soft beverages. Food is prepared on site in a special kitchen using the best available ingredients: there are main meals, salads, fresh-baked scones, barista-style coffee and much more.

The bar has been raised in more ways than one.

‘The lounge is also family-friendly, with baby changing tables for guests travelling with children. There are also facilities for those with disabilities,’ Michael Boyacii, head of Air Niugini’s customers and markets division, tells Business Advantage PNG.

For those who travel around the country with the national airline, the situation is only going to improve further too.

‘The new Paradise Lounge at Jacksons represents the start of a rollout of new lounges for our Executive Club members,’ explains Boyacii.

‘A new lounge, based on the same decor, will open at Mount Hagen’s redeveloped airport in August, while our Lae travellers can expect a new upmarket lounge at Nadzab Airport later this year too.’

What do you think of Air Niugini’s new lounge?

What do you think of Jacksons’ new-look International Terminal and the Paradise Lounge? Are there any other facilities you would like to see, at Jacksons or elsewhere? Please leave a comment below.