Manning: CapaJet is very deceitful

 News that matter in Papua New Guinea

Manning: CapaJet is very deceitful

PORT MORESBY: CapaJet, the Hong Kong-based luxury charter flight service provider, denies the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government had placed a cap of 42 passengers on Garuda Flight GA-7610 that landed with 114 passengers from India and Indonesia on Jackson International Airport on Thursday (Aug 19, 2021).

Howevber, PNG Pandemic Response Controller David Manning said CapaJet’s statement is íncorrect’ and that for us to confirm the numbers “”is very deceitful”.

The ongoing news development over Indonesia’s Garuda Flight GA-7610 “scandal” was reported by The National:

CapaJet denies Manning’s claim

August 27, 2021The NationalMain Stories

David ManningJames Marape

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
CAPAJET, the Hong Kong-based luxury charter flight service provider, denies the Papua New Guinea (PNG) Government had placed a cap of 42 passengers on
Garuda Flight GA-7610 landed with 114 passengers from India and Indonesia on Jackson International Airport last Thursday.
CapaJet also claimed that all foreign national passengers on board held valid state of emergency (SOE) approvals, Coronavirus (Covid-19) polymerase chain reaction (PCR)test and vaccination certificates.
Passengers were only given tickets once they had provided the SOE approval, in line with the prescribed guidelines set out by PNG’s pandemic response controller.
However, Pandemic Response Controller David Manning, in an immediate response to The National, said Flight GA-7610’s manifest was “not provided prior to take off”.
“CapaJet’s statement is ‘incorrect’ and that for us to confirm the numbers is very deceitful,” he said.
The landing of Flight GA-7610 caused a stir and public outcry as the Government had, since April, banned all flights from India to protect Papua New Guineans from the Covid-19 Delta variant that ravaged India and many developed countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.
Four of the 114 passengers tested positive for Covid-19 and Manning, who is also PNG’s Police Commissioner, has asked for diplomatic action to be taken against India.
Prime Minister James Marape also revealed on Tuesday that some of the passengers had fled their 21-day quarantine facility and that the authorities were in the midst of rounding them up.
Manning said: “I am angry and disappointed at the way the Indian High Commission (IHC) in Port Moresby deliberately participated in the deception that resulted in unauthorised passengers, including four Covid-19-infected persons, arriving in PNG. The behaviour of those involved has been dishonest with the process.
“I have requested the Government (Foreign Affairs Department) to deal with the IHC through appropriate diplomatic channels,” he said.
“The charter company (CapaJet) and the airline, as well as any middlemen, will now face other consequences for their actions.
“The IHC must respect PNG as a sovereign nation and not participate in actions involving unscrupulous people and undermine public health and safety measures.
“As a consequence of this deliberate show of disrespect against the people and PNG Government, there is now an indefinite ban on any further repatriation flights from India.
“Further, CapaJet and Garuda are now prevented from entering PNG airspace until further notice.”
Manning said strict safety measures for the repatriation flight had been agreed to in order to prevent the spread of the Delta strain from India.
“Considering the devastating outbreak of Delta in India that has killed hundreds of thousands of people, our Government had to be strict with the Indian government in order to keep Papua New Guineans safe; that is why the proposed repatriation flight from India was rejected four times, and was only approved after the set measures had been agreed with representatives of the IHC,” he said.
“This included a cap (of 42) on the number of passengers that would arrive on the flight and that all the passengers would take a Covid-19 PCR test two days prior to the aircraft departure.
“First, the agreement on the number of approved passengers was broken when the Indian government and flight operators allowed 81 passengers to board the jet to PNG.
“While some of the passengers were Papua New Guineans, and the rest had current and valid visas, the point is that the Indian government broke our agreement by allowing so many to travel.
“It was only after the aircraft had stopped to refuel in Indonesia, and then departed for Port Moresby, that the truth was revealed.”
He said the Indonesian government would also be receiving correspondence from PNG’s Foreign Affairs Department, calling on the ambassador to explain his government’s involvement in the scandal.
“These matters pertain to the boarding of Indonesian passengers on to the aircraft and the actions of Garuda Airways as a state-owned airline,” he said.
CapaJet said in a media statement yesterday that:

• WE have become one of the market leaders in repatriation services. Over the past 12 months, the company has returned home over 100,000 stranded nationals from across the world and all walks of life;
• WE reiterate that at all times, the flight operated with all approvals dated Aug 13;
• FLIGHT GA-7610 was approved to land by the pandemic response controller on July 28;
• WE followed all guidance from the controller for the process and procedures for the entry of any nationals into PNG;
• WE wish to reiterate that at no time, the cap of 42 was mentioned to either us or the (Indian) High Commission, until the aircraft had departed and was on the way to PNG with the passengers, including Papua New Guineans;
• ALL foreign national passengers onboard the aircraft to Port Moresby held valid SOE approvals, Covid-19 PCR test and vaccination certificates;
• THERE were seven Papua New Guineans on the flight, six of whom were non-vaccinated, including two PNG Defence Force personnel who completed their training course in India (confirmation was given by the Papua New Guinea high commissioner in New Delhi that these Papua New Guineans have approval to travel home);
• WHEN the flight was en route, the PNG Government cancelled the flight and keeping in mind the safety interest of Papua New Guineans, Indians, Indonesians and Fijians, we humbly requested the PNG Government to re-consider landing of the flight (following our request and that of the respective embassies, the Transport Ministry approved the flight to land and re-activated the same landing approval permit number given);
• WE follow some of the most stringent Covid-19 flight standard operating procedures, which include pre-departure quarantine and controlled pre-flight PCR testing; and,
• OVER the last 18 months, we have donated and supported PNG with multiple Covid-19 donations ranging from face masks, personal protection equipment, ventilators, free air cargo capacity and free travel for stranded Papua New Guineans. CapaJet has supported the people, as can be seen from the letters of commendation from both the prime minister and deputy prime minister of PNG.

The Indian High Commission and the high commissioner are yet to respond to The National’s questions.