Arrange your Port Moresby airport transfer
Port Moresby consistently ranks among the highest-risk capital cities in the Pacific for vehicle crime. The US Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) and the UK FCDO both advise against use of unvetted taxis at Jacksons International Airport, citing the documented history of carjacking and opportunistic crime on the airport access road. For corporate travellers, NGO staff, mining and resources sector personnel, and HNWI visitors, the standard of transfer arranged before departure is a direct determinant of arrival safety.
Jacksons International Airport sits approximately 8km from the city centre, connected by a road corridor that passes through areas of recognised gang activity. Unlike many international airports where a standard taxi represents a minimal risk, Port Moresby’s threat environment requires a structured transfer approach: vetted driver, a known vehicle, a confirmed arrival plan, and a direct route to a secure compound. The compound-to-compound movement model, used by the diplomatic and international business community in Port Moresby, reduces exposure to the open street environment that represents the primary risk to arriving passengers.
Our Port Moresby transfer service is delivered through PNG-licensed operators working under the Security (Protection) Industry Act 2004. Every driver is background-checked, every vehicle GPS-tracked, and every transfer confirmed with the receiving facility before departure from the airport. Clients travelling to Papua New Guinea for the first time are encouraged to request a full destination briefing alongside their transfer booking, covering not just the airport run but movement protocols for the duration of their stay. For further context on the city’s security environment and available close protection services, see our Port Moresby city guide and the close protection officers in Port Moresby service page.
What does this cover in Port Moresby?
Jacksons Airport Corridor Risk Assessment
The 8km road connecting Jacksons International Airport (POM) to Port Moresby city centre is one of the most documented carjacking corridors in the Pacific region. Raskol gang activity has been recorded along this route over multiple years, targeting arriving passengers with visible luggage. Our drivers receive a current threat brief before every collection, and routing decisions are adjusted in real time based on incident reports from our ground intelligence network.
Compound-to-Compound Movement Model
Port Moresby operates on a compound-to-compound principle for international visitors: movement between secure perimeters, rather than open street navigation, forms the foundation of safe transit. Our transfer service collects clients from the international arrivals hall and moves directly to the designated secure compound, hotel, or business facility, with minimal unplanned stops. Drivers are briefed on current choke points and alternative exit routes from the airport precinct.
Vetted and PNG-Compliant Drivers
All drivers operating in Port Moresby are vetted against the requirements of Papua New Guinea's Security (Protection) Industry Act 2004, which is administered by the Security Industries Authority. Background screening covers criminal history, previous employment, and local referencing. Our PNG-based operators hold current licensing and work within the regulatory framework established by the Act, providing clients with a documented compliance trail.
Vehicle Selection and Hardening
Vehicles used on the Jacksons Airport corridor are selected for reliability in high-risk urban conditions: 4WD with run-flat capability, tinted glass, and maintained mechanical condition. GPS tracking is active on all vehicles during transfer operations. Low-profile vehicle selection is standard, avoiding conspicuous luxury marques that increase targeting risk in Port Moresby's threat environment.
Night-Transfer Protocols
Night arrivals at POM carry elevated risk. Our night-transfer protocol includes a second driver or security escort travelling in a follow vehicle, confirmed arrival notification to the receiving compound, and reduced dwell time at the airport kerbside. Clients arriving on late international services are met airside where permitted, minimising time in the general arrivals area.
Client Briefing and Emergency Procedures
Clients receive a written briefing on Port Moresby's current threat environment before departure from the UK or country of origin. The briefing covers carjacking response (comply, do not resist), emergency contact numbers for PNG Police Force and the High Commission, and alternative evacuation routes available to the driver. A 24-hour operations contact is provided for the duration of the transfer.
Sources for this page
Licensing, firearms and foreign-operator rules for Port Moresby, checked : Security (Protection) Industry Act 2004, PacLII. The full rules are on our Port Moresby security overview.
Travel advice quoted on this page: FCDO travel advice: Papua New Guinea. Advice changes; read the current version before travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Jacksons Airport road considered high risk?
What does the compound-to-compound model mean in practice?
Is PNG licensing required for private security transfer drivers?
What time of day are transfers safest at POM?
Can you arrange transfers to locations outside the city centre?
This page is published by CloseProtectionHire.com and written to editorial standards overseen by James Calloway, Senior Security Consultant (regulation, licensing, vetting and risk frameworks) and Marcus Webb, Security Operations Adviser (operational close protection, secure transport and city-specific safety).
Threat, regulatory and emergency information is sourced to named, dated authorities such as the FCDO, the US State Department and national licensing bodies. Last updated . See how we verify.