From Matangi Tonga Magazine, Vol. 16, no. 3, December 2001.

Lighting for the Lupepau‘u Airport, Vava‘u, will allow night landings and could make it possible for more international flights, and an increased number of domestic flights to land there.

Everyone who was gathered at the Lupepau‘u Airport, Vava‘u, on November 30 for the switching on ceremony agreed that it was long overdue for the runway to be lightened, enabling aircraft to land there at night.

After HRH Princess Pilolevu switched on the lights, a domestic twin Otter flight was the first to land carrying the Hon. Fanetupou–vava‘u Tuita.

Lupepau‘u Airport is essentially a domestic airport, but the Samoa Air lands there once a week, and in the past flights have been scheduled between Nadi and Vava‘u. There is talk that Air Fiji and Air Pacific are now interested in flying directly from Fiji to Vava‘u. Since most of the tourists who come to Tonga go to Vava‘u, it would be a short cut for them to fly directly from Nadi in Fiji to Lupepau‘u. The happiest with the new night landing service are the people of Vava‘u and visitors to Vava‘u who at peak times may be stranded because of the limited daylight flying time.