Striking Air Niugini pilots lose appeal

1:36 pm on 9 August 2017

An appeal filed by eight Air Niugini pilots challenging the termination of their contracts has been dismissed by Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court.

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Photo: Koro Vaka'uta / RNZ

Loop PNG reported the men were appealing a decision of the National court in February, which ruled the employment of the pilots and was not reviewable.

The Supreme Court agreed with the earlier decision, stating that as Air Niugini was not a public body judicial review was not available to the appellants.

The eight pilots were terminated after they failed to report for duty during strike action last year.

It was part of a general withdrawal of services by various professional groups including maritime, health and energy sector workers.

The professionals were demanding prime minister Peter O'Neill step aside to face fraud allegations.