Tonga Airports Ltd. a Tonga government-owned company took over the management of all Tongan airports on July 2.

Commenting today, Viliami Ma'ake, the Acting CEO, said TAL took over the assets of the Tongan airports valued at $40 million pa'anga and operates all at the airport, air traffic control, the maintenance and development of runways and terminals and fire services. It includes the Fua'amotu International Airport on Tongatapu, the Lupepau'u International Airport on Vava'u, and four domestic airports. He said that government has allocated $500,000 pa'anga to TAL for its operation for the first six months.

The Minister of Transport, Hon Paul Karalus, said during the handover on July 3 at Fua'amotu Airport that if there comes a time in the future when TAL's service proves to be successful there will be an opportunity for the private sector, for the people of Tonga and those overseas to buy shares or for government to sell its ownership of the airport.

Viliami said that since taking over, their first priority is to make sure the airports are safe for passengers, and will improve airport facilities to ensure that, beginning at the Fua'amotu International Airport.

He said they are currently looking at employing firefighters and security guards to further ensure safety at the airports.

The decision to corporatise the management of the Tongan airports was based on the need to for Tonga to move from a situation where airports are funded, operated and managed by government to one that is operated in a commercial viable manner, and the airport operations can be independent and separated from the regulatory body of the Civil Aviation, he said.

Viliami said that TAL is looking at different avenues to make money and they are planning to start charging parking spaces at all Tongan airports in the near future.

Prior to its formation, all Tongan airports came under the control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA). And the handover of the airports from was initially scheduled for April but there were issues that needed to be finalised by Government so it was deferred to July 2.