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was formed on 27 May 2004 as Tonga's first domestic-only airline, and remained the only airline in Tonga for a short period of time as a one-airline policy was imposed. This policy was revoked in 2005, the second domestic operating license being taken up by
411:
began five weekly flights to Ha'apai from
Tongatapu. Services were inaugurated after the failure of Airlines Tonga and Peau Vava'u in the preceding years to fill the gap they left. This made the airline the only operator for some time.
443:
amid controversy over the type's safety. The MA60 was grounded in
February 2015 due to these concerns. The airline has repetitively grounded the type since, but as of 2020, it's reported to still be operating.
403:
In 2006, Peau Vava'u cut all flights after damage to its office in
November. The airline never resumed flights. This made Airlines Tonga the only domestic carrier in Tonga until its collapse in August 2008.
393:
formed
Airlines Tonga in December 2005 as a joint venture with Tongan travel agency Teta Tours. The airline was created to provide domestic services to Tonga, Ha'apai among the destinations.
320:
islands. Gates staffed by airport employees are used to prevent vehicle access during aircraft operations; the rest of the airport is otherwise secured with barbed wire fencing.
454:
The airport's deteriorating runway surface has been reported as the cause of multiple incidents of foreign object debris damages to aircraft operating to the airfield in 2015.
426:
With the announcement of
Chinese funding for a new airline to compete with Chathams Pacific in early 2012, CEO Craig Emeny announced a withdrawal of flights from 2 March 2013.
127:
436:
on 4 March, however due to delays in aircraft arrivals, Air
Chathams was chartered to fly services for the week following the end of operations.
305:. The airport is located 5 km (3.1 mi) north of the capital Panga, and is only served domestically, roughly 40 minutes by flight to
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One of the airport's most unique features is the dirt road intersecting the runway. The road is the only path connecting Lifuka and
724:
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operator Air
Chathams to fly services in July 2006 for Airlines Tonga with Convair CV-580 aircraft for about a month.
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110:
331:
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841:
805:
571:
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597:"Environmental Management Plan for Tonga Aviation Infrastructure Investment Project (TAIIP)"
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There is no aviation fuel or refueling service for aircraft available at the airport.
830:
665:"Peau Vava'u - Travel with Tonga's Domestic Airline to Tongatapu, Ha'apai and Vava'u"
728:
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618:
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began services on the route, flying to Ha'apai until the airline's collapse.
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313:. Taxis serve the airport, and services include a cafe inside the terminal.
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Ha'apai flights were once again provided by
Convair CV-580s, but also a
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725:"Tonga Businesses Worried Over Local Air Services - January 25, 2013"
349:
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223:
210:
98:
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102:
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697:"3rd Level New Zealand: Air Chathams' South Pacific Operations"
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aircraft. Around this time the airfield was improved, allowing
162:
317:
755:"3rd Level New Zealand: I bet Craig is glad he dropped Tonga"
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Real Tonga would later receive a their own Y-12 and a
601:
Tonga
Airports Limited/Ministry of Public Enterprises
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supposedly would commence operation with two leased
371:
Peau Vava'u operated flights to Ha'apai with leased
653:: 124–126. 2007 – via Asian Development Bank.
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94:
86:
78:
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23:
359:Following the collapse of Royal Tongan Airlines,
379:flights commencing in May 2005 subleased from
8:
806:"3rd Level New Zealand: Saab for Real Tonga"
780:"Tongan gov't to resume MA-60 ops in 1H20"
644:"Oceanic Voyages: Aviation in the Pacific"
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20:
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7:
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690:
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352:operations followed this before the
667:. 27 September 2007. Archived from
14:
617:. 2 February 2001. Archived from
447:In May 2016 Real Tonga commenced
520:
508:
496:
185:
178:
35:
85:
727:. 14 July 2014. Archived from
1:
603:: 8–9 – via Worldbank.
572:"Pilolevu Airport - Ha'apai"
552:. Skybrary. 22 February 2021
201:Location of airport in Tonga
186:
253:bituminous, tar or asphalt
858:
804:L, Steve (26 April 2016).
695:L, Steve (14 April 2013).
90:Ministry of Civil Aviation
458:Airlines and Destinations
261:
230:
227:
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173:
43:
34:
18:Airport in Haʻapai, Tonga
346:operations to commence.
334:commenced operations to
753:L, Steve (8 May 2015).
615:"Royal Tongan Airlines"
550:"Lifuka Island Airport"
451:operations to Ha'apai.
291:Salote Pilolevu Airport
29:Salote Pilolevu Airport
576:Tonga Airports Limited
338:in the mid 1980s with
143:19.77667°S 174.34111°W
810:3rd Level New Zealand
759:3rd Level New Zealand
701:3rd Level New Zealand
332:Royal Tongan Airlines
271:Lifuka Island Airport
163:www.tongaairports.com
148:-19.77667; -174.34111
115:29 ft / 9 m
25:Lifuka Island Airport
671:on 27 September 2007
651:Pacific Study Series
417:Fairchild Metroliner
527:Real Tonga Airlines
396:Air Fiji chartered
375:in June 2004, with
297:, is an airport on
139: /
621:on 2 February 2001
407:On 14 April 2008,
309:and 30 minutes to
837:Airports in Tonga
515:Terminal landside
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368:later that year.
289:), also known as
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474:Lulutai Airlines
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409:Chathams Pacific
263:Source: Skybrary
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421:Beech Queen Air
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295:Haʻapai Airport
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109:Elevation
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377:Convair CV-580
366:Airlines Tonga
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813:. Retrieved
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762:. Retrieved
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733:. Retrieved
729:the original
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669:the original
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623:. Retrieved
619:the original
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579:. Retrieved
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556:18 September
554:. Retrieved
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468:Destinations
453:
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438:
434:Harbin Y-12s
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385:Air Chathams
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79:Airport type
15:
784:ch-aviation
398:New Zealand
361:Peau Vava'u
146: /
134:174°20′28″W
121:Coordinates
101:, Haʻapai,
831:Categories
536:References
479:Nuku'alofa
430:Real Tonga
344:Twin Otter
131:19°46′36″S
441:Xian MA60
354:Short 360
307:Tongatapu
224:Direction
815:21 March
789:21 March
764:21 March
735:21 March
706:21 March
675:21 March
625:21 March
581:21 March
465:Airlines
449:Saab 340
391:Air Fiji
381:Reef Air
340:CASA 212
231:Surface
95:Location
87:Operator
842:Haʻapai
487:Gallery
336:Ha'apai
327:History
228:Length
212:Runways
159:Website
74:Summary
419:and a
350:HS 748
311:Vava'u
299:Lifuka
250:1,200
247:3,940
244:11/29
99:Lifuka
82:Public
647:(PDF)
373:DC-3s
303:Tonga
103:Tonga
817:2020
791:2020
766:2020
737:2020
708:2020
677:2020
627:2020
583:2020
558:2021
383:and
287:NFTL
283:ICAO
275:IATA
194:NFTL
111:AMSL
64:NFTL
60:ICAO
49:IATA
318:Foa
301:in
293:or
279:HPA
236:ft
169:Map
53:HPA
833::
808:.
782:.
757:.
745:^
716:^
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685:^
649:.
635:^
599:.
574:.
423:.
387:.
285::
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277::
239:m
62::
51::
819:.
793:.
768:.
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273:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
