In a vibrant celebration of heritage and aviation innovation, Air Niugini has revealed its first Airbus A220 featuring a stunning commemorative livery—affectionately named the “People’s Balus”—to honour Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence Anniversary.
A Living Canvas of National Identity
Crafted at Airbus’s Mirabel facility in Canada, the aircraft’s paintwork is the work of a dedicated team of 120 painters who worked around the clock across three shifts. Employing 11 vivid colours and advanced airbrushing with stencil overlay techniques to achieve the complex design layering, this approach was used only once before on an A220.
Acting CEO Capt. Samiu Taufa, MBE, remarked, “This aircraft is more than just a new addition to our fleet — it is our first brand‑new, next‑generation jet aircraft and captures the spirit of our nation and our aspirations for the future…” pngbusinessnews.com+1.
A Milestone in Fleet Renewal
The “People’s Balus” marks the start of a comprehensive fleet modernization program. Air Niugini plans to gradually phase out aging Fokker aircraft—and eventually its Boeing 737 fleet—as part of a scaled-up connectivity and reliability push across Papua New Guinea and beyond.
In total, the airline has ordered 11 Airbus A220s, with three expected to arrive by year-end and the remainder over the next three years. Following completion of PNG CASA registration, the aircraft will transition from its Canadian test registration (C‑FOWU) to PNG registration P2‑PGA, before its delivery flight to Port Moresby.
The “People’s Balus” jet is slated to arrive in September—timed to coincide with the nation’s golden jubilee celebration.
What do you think of the livery? Leave a comment below!
All photos (c) Air Niugini
