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Fagaliʻi Airport

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Airport in Fagaliʻi-Uta, Samoa
Fagaliʻi Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorSamoa Airport Authority
ServesApia
LocationFagaliʻi-Uta
Coordinates13°50′54″S 171°44′30″W / 13.84833°S 171.74167°W / -13.84833; -171.74167
Map
FGI is located in American SamoaFGIFGILocation of the Airport in Samoa
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
10/28 670 2,198 Asphalt

Fagaliʻi Airport (IATA: FGI, ICAO: NSFI) is a disused airport located in Fagaliʻi, Samoa. It has operated intermittently since 1970.

History

In 1939, the New Zealand colonial administration decided to construct two military airfields in Samoa, one each for land- and seaplanes. The land-based airfield was to be located on land from the Vailele plantation of the government-owned Reparation Estates near Fagaliʻi, and the site was surveyed. The plans were later abandoned, but in 1969 construction finally began. Flights to Pago Pago were operating by April 1970. Initially a grass-only airstrip, Fagaliʻi was paved and reopened on 6 July 2002 under the exclusive operation of Polynesian Airlines. It was shut down again in January 2005 due to Government and village concerns over safety and noise.

On 1 July 2009, Polynesian Airlines reopened Fagaliʻi Airport and resumed a service that included international flights to Pago Pago, American Samoa. The reopening of the airport was controversial and attracted criticism both for the safety and environmental issues with the airport's configuration and for the potential burden on local communities should the scheme fail. In August 2014, Polynesian Airlines opened a new VIP lounge at the airport. In December 2014, it resumed flights from Fagaliʻi to Maota Airport in Savaiʻi.

Airlines that have operated from the airport include:

In 2018, the Samoan Government decided that airport operations would be returned to the Samoa Airports Authority.

The airport closed for safety reasons on 31 December 2019 after failing to meet international standards. All flights were transferred to Faleolo International Airport. It was handed over to the Ministry of Police for use as a vehicle inspection site and testing range. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was used as a COVID-19 testing site for law enforcement officers.

In August 2022, Public Enterprises Minister Leatinuu Wayne Soʻoialo confirmed plans to reopen the airport for flights to American Samoa. In September 2022, the government confirmed plans to reopen Fagaliʻi, but also assigned a minister to find an alternative site for an eventual replacement.

References

  1. "DEFENCE MOVE?". Auckland Star. 18 March 1939. p. 14. Retrieved 13 August 2022 – via Papers Past.
  2. "WESTERN SAMOA HAS AN AIRWAYS BOOM". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 40, no. 11. 1 November 1969. p. 35. Retrieved 13 August 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Internal services". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 41, no. 4. 1 April 1970. p. 128. Retrieved 13 August 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Fagalii Airport reopens". RNZ. 8 July 2002. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  5. "Samoa to close one of its two airports". RNZ. 10 September 2004. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  6. Sagapolutele, Fili. "Polynesian to resume flying into Fagaliʻi airport this week". Samoa News. SamoaNews.com. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
  7. "Fagalii airport to reopen for inter-Samoa flights". RNZ. 25 June 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  8. "Ex-Airport boss attacks Fagaliʻi plan". Samoa Observer. 23 November 2008. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011.
  9. "Upgrade for VIP travellers between Samoas". RNZ. 24 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  10. "Polynesian resumes Savaii flights". RNZ. 19 December 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  11. Mataiʻa Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong (6 May 2019). "Minister stands by Cabinet decision". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  12. Joyetter Feagaimaaliʻi (11 December 2019). "Fagaliʻi Airport to be shut". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  13. "Samoa's Fagaliʻi Airport to close over safety concerns". RNZ. 24 December 2019. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  14. Joyetter Feagaimaaliʻi (2 January 2020). "Ministry of Police takes over the Fagalii International Airport". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  15. Soli Wilson (31 January 2020). "Police traffic division moves to Fagalii". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  16. Mataiʻa Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong (20 March 2022). "Police COVID-19 test site moved to Fagalii". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  17. Fagaliʻi Airport reopening offers more Pago flights (12 August 2022). "Fagaliʻi Airport reopening offers more Pago flights". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  18. Sialai Sarafina Sanerivi (10 September 2022). "Minister tasked to find "isolated location" for airport". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
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