Jacksons International Airport

Jacksons International Airport
Jacksons International Airport
IATA: POM – ICAO: AYPY POM Location of airport in Papua New Guinea
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Government of Papua New Guinea
Operator	Civil Aviation Authority of Papua New Guinea
Location	Port Moresby
Hub for	Air Niugini; Airlines PNG;
Elevation AMSL	124 ft / 38 m
Coordinates	09°26′36″S 147°13′12″E / 9.44333°S 147.22°E
Runways

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Jacksons International Airport (IATA: POM, ICAO: AYPY), also known as Port Moresby Airport, is located 5 miles (8 kilometres) outside Port Moresby, in Papua New Guinea. It is the largest and busiest airport in Papua New Guinea and is the main hub for Air Niugini, the national airline of Papua New Guinea, as well as the main hub for Airlines PNG.

[edit] Services

Air Niugini has an extensive domestic network throughout Papua New Guinea, using Bombadier Dash 8 turbo-prop aircraft (36 and 50 seat capacity) as well as the Fokker 100 jet aircraft (97 seat capacity). It also uses the Fokker 100 on some international services to Cairns and Brisbane in Australia as well as to Honiara in Solomon Islands and Nadi in Fiji. 3 Boeing 767-300s operate the airline's other international destinations including Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Manila, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sydney and Brisbane.

Cathay Pacific also used to operate fifth freedom flights to Auckland, New Zealand via Port Moresby, as well as fourth freedom flights to Hong Kong, but these were terminated, as were Continental Micronesia's jet services from Guam.

[edit] Terminals

Jacksons International Airport consists of two terminals: The Domestic Terminal housing Air Niugini and Airlines PNG, and the International Terminal servicing all other airlines plus Air Niugini and Airlines PNG's international routes. The International Terminal features four aircraft parking bays, two of which are equipped with aerobridges. The two terminals are linked by a covered walkway.

[edit] Airlines and destinations

Airlines	Destinations	Terminal
Air Niugini	Alotau, Buka, Daru, Goroka, Hoskins, Kavieng, Kerema, Kiunga, Kundiawa, Lae, Lihir Island, Madang, Manus Island (Lorengau), Mendi, Mount Hagen, Popondetta, Rabaul, Tabubil, Tari, Vanimo, Wapenamanda, Wewak	Domestic
Air Niugini	Brisbane, Cairns, Honiara, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Nadi, Singapore, Sydney, Tokyo-Narita	International
Airlines PNG	Alotau, Bulolo, Daru, Fane, Goroka, Hoskins, Itokama, Kerema, Kiunga, Kokoda, Lae, Losuia, Madang, Misima Island, Moro, Mount Hagen, Ononge, Popondetta, Rabaul, Tabubil, Tapini, Tufi, Wanigela, Wewak, Woitape	Domestic
Airlines PNG	Cairns	International
Merpati Nusantara Airlines	Merauke	International
Qantas operated by QantasLink	Cairns	International
Solomon Airlines	Honiara [resumes 26 March 2012]	International
Virgin Australia	Brisbane	International

[edit] History

The pre-World War II Port Moresby Airport became one of the primary airfields used by the Allied forces during the New Guinea campaign (1942–1945), and was part of a multiple-airfield complex in the Port Moresby area. The "Seven Mile Aerodrome" (so named because it was seven miles from Port Moresby) was renamed Jackson's Strip or Jackson's Field after Australian fighter ace John Jackson, leader of No. 75 Squadron RAAF, who was killed in a dogfight against Japanese planes over Port Moresby on 28 April 1942. During March–May 1942, the squadron's P-40 Kittyhawks destroyed over 60 enemy aircraft in air-to-air combat and strafing attacks for a loss of 24 aircraft and 12 pilots.

When American forces arrived in April 1942, the airfield was further developed and expanded. Revetments were constructed to protect parked aircraft and defenses. Also, a network of taxiways was built between Jackson and the adjacent Wards Airfield (5-Mile Airdrome) which made it possible to taxi between the two airfields.

Jackson's Field was primarily a command and control facility, housing the headquarters of many groups, with their operational squadrons deployed in the forward areas, although it was used for some operational squadrons.

With the end of the war, the USAAF withdrew from the airfield in 1945, however it was used as a major disposal point for excess Allied aircraft, and for years disposed B-17s, P-47s, B-25s, P-38s, A-20Gs and even a few P-40s could be found in various states of decay in the area.

[edit] Major USAAF units assigned

43d Bombardment Group, (14 September 1942 – 10 December 1943)

Headquarters, 63d, 64th, 65th Bomb Squadrons

90th Bombardment Group, (10 February – December 1943)

Headquarters (Jackson's Field) Squadrons at Wards Airfield)

345th Bombardment Group, (5 June 1943 – 18 January 1944)

8th Fighter Group, (16 May – 23 December 1943)
49th Fighter Group, (9 October 1942 – March 1943)
348th Fighter Group, (23 June – 16 December 1943)

[edit] Other facilities

Air Niugini has its head office in the Air Niugini House, on the airport property.^[1]

[edit] Incidents and accidents

On 11 August 2009, Airlines PNG Flight 4684, flying from Jacksons International Airport, crashed into a mountain whilst attempting a go around at Kokoda Airport, Papua New Guinea. All 11 passengers and 2 crew died in the accident.