Nausori Airport runway upgrade and extension to be a big benefit to the nation
The Nausori International Airport runway upgrade and extension is set to help businesses across the country get better connected to new growth markets. Passengers from Fiji and those from around the world will also enjoy the easy connectivity to their destinations.
The upgrade and extension by Fiji Airports is an infrastructure project that will forever change the face of Nausori International Airport. This will improve the surrounding area, and advance the people of Nausori. The development will ignite and transform the lives and livelihoods of Fijians around us today.
As Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said while officiating at the groundbreaking ceremony: “When we talk about a runway extension, this is far more than just a few more metres of pavement.
“The upgrade and expansion of the airport will fundamentally transform how Nausori Airport operates, from the size and weight of planes it can handle, to its ability to host take-offs and landings, even in windy or rainy weather conditions.
“The extended runway and upgrades will allow bigger aircraft to land in Nausori, to carry more passengers and cargo, and to carry more fuel, resulting in far more doors opening for new routes throughout the region and the world. But when it comes to travelling, the benefits will be felt most by the hundreds of thousands of Fijians here at home, who take advantage of domestic routes to visit their friends and families.”
Of course, it will offer more choice and competition among airlines, and new connections here and internationally as well.
Once the $60 million project is completed it will connect us to the world. This would mean doubling our capacity and adding new long-haul destinations that will connect businesses across the country to new markets and open trading opportunities across the world.
It will also boost our tourism markets. It will be cheaper to visit the Suva-to-Pacific Harbour corridor.
For example, domestic routes will allow more businesses across the country, from small to medium enterprises to the largest exporter, to maximise the opportunities of an expanded airport with increased cargo capacity and new long-haul connections.
Mr Bainimarama highlighted that the runway upgrade and extension project is only the first phase of his Government’s grander plan to completely modernise Nausori International Airport, much like they did with the success story in
Nadi.
Once the runway project has been completed, the next stage will be to build a brand-new, state-of-the-art terminal.
He said people can be assured that they would be taking every step to ensure that the new Nausori International Airport is truly a world-class one, aligned with international standards such as those set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), much like they did in Nadi.
Government will be searching near and far to find the best possible candidates to fill the many jobs that this project will create and they will be following the best practices with an open tender process to attract the best possible retail concessions that will prove to make flying in and out of Nausori as pleasant and seamless a process as possible.
Because with its expanded runway and flight paths, paired with a newly-refurbished terminal filled with attractive new vendors, Nausori’s International Airport will join Nadi as a gateway to Fiji that we can all be proud of.