Nausori repairs to restore B737 links
- Latest News
- Thursday, 20 October 2016
Remedial work is well under way on the runway at Fiji’s Nausori Airport which serves the capital, Suva. In recent weeks the airport has not been accessible to heavier aircraft which has caused the cancellation of Fiji Airways B737 flights to Sydney and Auckland.
Fiji Link’s ATR42 and ATR72 aircraft have been able to use the runway for some of the time – although not initially - and international passengers have been routed via Nadi either using these services or by road.
Most freight has been moved via road.
The Nausori problem arose from a botched resurfacing of the runway, intended to extend its usage by up to two years.
For some reason yet to be fully determined the sealant used to deal with runway cracks did not set properly.
Fiji Airways and its Fiji Link subsidiary are the main international carriers using Nausori which is, like Nadi and other airports in the country operated by Airports Fiji. Fiji Link provides some regional services using Nadi while Fiji Airways offers Australia/NZ links. Air Vanuatu also serves Nausori with ATR 72s.
Nausori is from time to time the subject of government and public discussion about the possibility of a runway extension or overall rebuild. This is extremely difficult given the facility’s geographic constraints.
In recent times Nausori Airport accessibility from Suva has been improved by extensive road works.
As we have frequently reported, Nadi International Airport – a hub of growing international importance – has been undergoing a major refurbishment.
The Fijian government is also searching for a new airport site for Savusavu in lines with its plans to boost tourism. Tourism Minister Faiyaz Koya says there is no “quick fix solution to the issue” and the project is a long-term plan.
Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said this week that Fiji was keen to trigger more Australian and New Zealand infrastructure investment in Fiji, including airports, roads and “drastically more efficient ports”.
Nausori is not the only South Pacific airport with problems. Fua’amotu, which serves the Kingdom of Tonga’s capital of Nuku’alofa this week experienced difficulties with its landing lights when a circuit failed despite being tested only a short time previously. This led to diversions of Air NZ and Virgin Australia flights to Nadi and Samoa’s Faleolo International Airport.
And Air NZ is still reluctant to recommence RPT services Auckland/Port Vila until planned major upgrading of Bauerfield Airport has been undertaken. As we reported earlier, runway and tarmac problems at Bauerfield have been partly alleviated by temporary repairs. The World Bank is funding a substantial upgrade of both Bauerfield and Santo-Pekoa, Vanuatu’s only other RPT international airport.
Port Vila/Auckland services continue to be flown by Air Vanuatu using its B738.
