April 2025
Over one year on from the Fuel Crisis that impacted MAF’s operations in Papua New Guinea so significantly, some good news has now come from the team (see below). Join us in praising God for a resolution to this situation!
Media Release: MAF PNG Fuel Surcharge to be Removed as Sustainable Fuel Supply is Secured
Effective 21 April 2025
7 APRIL 2025 | Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea
Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) in Papua New Guinea is pleased to announce that, effective Monday, 21 April 2025, the fuel surcharge currently applied to all flights will be removed. This decision follows the successful sourcing of aviation fuel at a fair and sustainable price, allowing us to resume operations without passing additional fuel-related costs on to our customers.
The fuel surcharge was introduced on 11 March 2024, in response to a nationwide fuel shortage triggered by financial difficulties faced by PNG’s sole aviation fuel supplier, Puma Energy. The crisis led to critical shortages of JetA1 fuel across the country, severely impacting aviation services and prompting MAF to implement a temporary surcharge to offset the high cost of imported drum fuel from overseas.
In a follow-up statement on 23 September 2024, MAF PNG advised that the surcharge would need to remain in place indefinitely due to the ongoing need to import expensive fuel from outside the country.
Thanks to persistent efforts to secure alternative fuel sources and the support of partners and stakeholders, MAF has now established a reliable and affordable supply chain that ensures continued flight operations without the extra cost burden to our passengers and partners.
“We are very thankful to announce the end of the fuel surcharge,” says Brad Venter, General Manager Aviation for MAF PNG. “This marks a significant milestone after more than a year of uncertainty and financial strain for both MAF and our customers. We are deeply grateful for the patience and understanding shown by our communities and partners during this time.”
MAF remains committed to serving the isolated people of Papua New Guinea through safe, reliable, and affordable air transport.
We thank all who have supported and prayed for MAF PNG through this challenging season and ask for continued prayers as we work to maintain stability and resilience in our operations.
The Management of MAF PNG LTD
Thank you also on behalf of the PNG team, to the many Australian donors who stepped up to help with this critical need last year.
Dom Sant, Interim Country Director MAF in PNG, says: “It has been a real challenge for the MAF In PNG program to manage operations with an inconsistent fuel supply. The uncertainty and rising costs have placed significant pressure on our teams and resources. That’s why we’re so pleased to let you know that the fuel surcharge will shortly be removed. I want to acknowledge that we could not have kept the surcharge as low as we did—let alone remove it—without the incredible support and generosity of resourcing groups and supporters. Your faithfulness has sustained our work, enabled vital flights to continue, and reminded us that we are not alone in this mission. Thank you”
And from Brad Venter, General Manager Aviation MAF in PNG: “MAF would like to officially thank all the donors that helped us navigate the fuel crisis over the last year. We are pleased to be able to remove the fuel surcharge soon and return to a normal pricing situation. Even with the surcharge, we were not able to recover the full cost of the more expensive fuel that was sourced from overseas. The additional donations helped us to keep the surcharge to a minimum and reduce the impact of the fuel crisis to the people that rely on MAF. We are praying that there will be ongoing reliable fuel supplies in PNG for the foreseeable future!”