Vavaʻu International Airport
Vavaʻu International Airport Lupepauʻu International Airport | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Operator | Ministry of Civil Aviation | ||||||||||
| Location | Vavaʻu, Tonga | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 236 ft / 72 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 18°35′07″S 173°57′42″W / 18.58528°S 173.96167°W | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  NFTV Location of airport in Tonga | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Source: World Aero Data[1] | |||||||||||
Vavaʻu International Airport (IATA: VAV, ICAO: NFTV), also known as Lupepauʻu International Airport, is an airport in Vavaʻu, Tonga.
Vava’u is Tonga’s main tourism hub, where some 34 islands provide both dramatic scenery and a world-renowned center for water related activities; sailing, fishing, diving. In season (July - October) humpback whales migrate north to mate and calf in the warm waters of Vava’u providing spectacular sights for visitors as well as opportunities to swim with whales.
The airport is located 10 km (6.2 mi) north of the capital Neiafu.
Vava'u is an international airport with limited direct service, currently through Fiji Airways.[2] Charters and private aircraft may also use the International facilities at Vava'u airport by contacting Tonga Airports Ltd.
Domestic air services are operated by Real Tonga which operates all domestic air services in Tonga. They generally run their MA60 aircraft on this route; however, due to the controversy generated by safety concerns, the airline announced in June 2014 that they will begin using Jetstream 32 aircraft on the route instead.[3]
Less frequent services connect Vava’u to Ha’apai, Niuafo’ou and Niuatoputapu. Flight time is 50 minutes to Tongatapu, 30 minutes to Ha’apai and a little over one hour to both Niuatoputapu and Niuafo’u.[4][5][6]
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Fiji Link | Seasonal: Nadi |
| Real Tonga | Ha’apai, Niuafo’ou, Niuatoputapu, Nukuʻalofa |