Fuaʻamotu International Airport
Fuaʻamotu International Airport Malaʻe Vakapuna Fakavahaʻapuleʻanga Fuaʻamotu | |||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Operator | Ministry of Civil Aviation | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Nukuʻalofa, Tonga | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Tongatapu | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 126 ft / 38 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 21°14′28″S 175°08′58″W / 21.24111°S 175.14944°W | ||||||||||||||
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| Runways | |||||||||||||||
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Fuaʻamotu International Airport (IATA: TBU, ICAO: NFTF) is an international airport in Tonga. It is on the south side of the main island, Tongatapu, 20 km from the capital of Tonga, Nukuʻalofa. Although named after the nearby village of Fuaʻamotu, which is on Tungī's (the king's) estate, in reality the airfield is located on the Tuʻi Pelehake's estate, closer to the village of Pelehake (which did not yet exist as a village during the early aviation days).
The air field was constructed by Seabees of the 1st Construction Battalion with assistance and labor of the U. S. Army 147th Infantry Regiment. It was intended as a World War II heavy bomber field, and had three coral-surfaced runways. In the late 1970s, it was expanded to permit jet aircraft to use the runways. Fuaʻamotu is now suitable for up to Boeing 767 size aircraft, but remains closed to larger jets (e.g. Boeing 747s).
Fuaʻamotu International Airport is equipped with VOR/DME (114.5) and NDB (245) navigational facilities. No ILS is available. Lighting is provided for the runway, apron, and taxiway. International airlines with regular services to Fuaʻamotu include Air New Zealand and Fiji Airways. Fiji Airways flies Boeing 737-800 aircraft from Nadi and ATR 42-600 aircraft from Suva (operated by Fiji Link). Air New Zealand flies Airbus A320neo, Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 aircraft from Auckland. In March 2016, Air New Zealand announced plans to serve Fuaʻamotu with a one-off Boeing 787-9s for the Auckland–Tonga route due to demand on June 15, 2016. Virgin Australia flew a Boeing 737-800 from Sydney and Auckland until services were withdrawn in 2020. Under Tongan law, Fuaʻamotu International Airport is closed on Sundays — only to be opened in distress, after the minister's approval.