A lot has been written and said about the Fagalii Airport since the current Administration announced its plans this year to reopen the aerodrome.

While the economic benefits of reopening the airport are clear – with the Minister of Works, Transport, and Infrastructure, Olo Fiti Va'ai highlighting that in his speech during the airport’s 29 May 2023 unveiling – we can never know the effects of the airport’s daily operations on the health and wellbeing of nearby Fagalii residents, until and unless they gave first-hand testimonies of their everyday experiences.

However, an article (Landing planes “shaking home”: Fagalii family) in the 06 August 2023 edition of the Sunday Samoan, which was based on the testimony of a family of eight, confirmed that the reopened aerodrome’s operation is already an issue with residents and the Government has acknowledged it. 

Faivale Faamoana, a mother of four who is also looking after her elderly mother, told this newspaper of the effects that a landing aircraft has had on them and their home since the airport’s opening.

"Our house is right under the aircraft's landing path and because of that we can actually feel the house shaking every time a plane is about to land," she said. "Not only that, we have been struggling with the dirt from the airport, because every time a plane lands, it faces that way and the back faces our way as well as the back of the engine so it blows dirt towards our house.

"It's saddening because we have children and elderly folk whose health is our priority, and not just our family, but also other families next to us as they have elderlies to care for as well."

Speak to aviation enthusiasts including pilots and they will tell you that this is bound to happen to homes that are directly in the flight path of low-flying aircraft, especially those that are coming into land. The shaking of the house below an aircraft is caused by its wings interacting with the airflow, consequently creating pressure differences that lead to vibration.

Mrs. Faamoana’s testimony of dirt being blown from the airport runway towards her home, every time an aircraft lands or takes off, raises questions about the close proximity of residential homes to the reopened airport.

According to Mrs. Faamoana, “When they tested the flights, we started experiencing the dirt again, so we went to the Minister and he kind of hinted to us about relocating but they said they'll come to talk to us soon so we're looking forward to that.”

Perhaps, the key question that should be asked is how far should residential homes be from an aerodrome that is currently used by (turboprop) aircraft seven days a week. We say this because Fagalii Airport’s single runway at its furthest end is about 100 metres from the nearest residential home and its apron, where the aircraft park next to the terminal, is about 70 metres from a residential home. 

Are residential homes located on the other side of Fagalii located too close to the aerodrome which would now require the relocation of the 20-plus families who live in those private properties? And if they are to be relocated by the authorities where would they be relocated to and how much will this exercise cost the current Administration?

Mrs. Faamoana has told this newspaper that her family has gone and raised their concerns with Minister Olo, whom they claimed has acknowledged their dilemma and raised the prospect of relocating.

In this newspaper’s report on Sunday, Samoa Airport Authority CEO Silimanai Ueta Solomona confirmed that families residing close to the airport will be relocated for safety reasons. However, consultations are yet to be held as the families are not aware of any relocation plans or even dates. When asked about the proposed relocation away from the airport, Mrs. Faamoana said it would be good if the Government advised them early so they can prepare themselves with their families. 

Obviously, the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure (MWTI) as well as the SAA should be progressing with moves to begin the consultation process with the Fagalii residents on their proposed relocation plans. 

Any further delays by the authorities to move in that direction could have long-term health implications for the affected families’ most vulnerable family members, especially the elderly and the children.