In December 2008, the PNG Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, Don Polye announced that the aviation company SkyAirWorld had been granted permission to operate direct flights from Cairns, Australia to Gurney.

The airfield was named Gurney Field on 14 September 1942 in honour of Royal Australian Air Force Squadron Leader C.R.

[4][5][6] The airfield was reopened in early 1966, as a part of the Australian colonial policy of having each of the provincial capitals served by daily flights.

Several airlines then operated daily passenger and freight services into Gurney, using larger aircraft.

[7] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency