From Matangi Tonga Magazine Vol. 15, no. 3, September 2000.

An Airport Authority to manage the running of the Fua‘amotu International Airport, is expected to be in operation by 2002, according to the Minister of Civil Aviation, Dr Langi Hu’akavameiliku.

He told the Tonga parliament in September that the new authority would be a branch of his Ministry and would manage only Fua‘amotu, and not the small airports on other islands. It was long overdue, he said, but qualified air traffic controllers, had to be trained and licensed by an international body, something that should be completed by early next year.

The minister said that Tonga would also have to take charge of managing its air space, which had been managed by Fiji since 1949. He said that negotiations were currently underway to make this happen.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation is developing its airports to make it possible for 747’s to land at Fua‘amotu and for 737’s to land at Lupepau’u, Vava’u.