The Government officially re-opened the Fagali'i Airport on Monday afternoon, four years since it was shut down by the former Administration, with the Minister assuring the nation the airport is safe for use.

The re-opening was attended by the Government leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, the business community, and the residents of Fagali'i village.  The cost of re-opening the airport for the Samoa Airport Authority (S.A.A.) was SAT$2.6 million. The authority comes under the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure.

Addressing the gathering on Monday, the Minister for Works, Transport, and Infrastructure, Olo Fiti Va'ai said the re-opening is in line with the roadmap 'Pathway for the Development of Samoa 2021-2026'. 

He then provided a brief history of the Fagali'i, recalling that it was first built in 1969 and opened in 1970. Thirty-five years after it was first opened, it was closed down by the government and re-opened in July 2009. Ten years after that, the former Administration decided to shut it in 2019 citing safety reasons.

Olo said that the closure of Fagali'i airport not only impacted the business community in Fagali'i but also affected the two other domestic airports in Savai'i, Maota, and Asau. 

With the re-opening of Fagali'i, Olo is optimistic that it will benefit not only the travelling people between Savai'i, Upolu, and American Samoa but also boost the economy of the country with flights bringing in more people to Samoa. It will also provide employment opportunities for the people of Fagali'i and help small businesses next to the airport.

Olo also assured that the condition of the airport has already met the necessary safety international requirements and acknowledged the support of the Government and the community, especially the elders and the village of Fagali'i as well as the district of Vaimauga No. 1. 

The S.A.A. renovated the terminal at Fagali’i and added more space for local businesses to cater to travellers between Samoa and American Samoa. The authority also extended the runway from 700 to 800 meters and resealed the runway using asphalt.

Olo noted that reopening the airport will also generate revenue for the S.A.A. from landing fees and lower airspace charges. He also confirmed last year that an assessment had already been done by a team of civil engineers from New Zealand on the location and condition of the airport and them giving the green light. 

Plans to reopen the airstrip met strong criticisms from the Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) leader, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi. The former prime minister, whose Administration shut the airport, claimed that its location is “unsafe” hence why it would be a bad idea to reopen it.

However, in response to comments from Tuilaepa, Olo said there were a couple of reasons highlighted in the reports from the previous Administration as to why the Fagali’i airport was closed. One of them was because of a conflict between Samoa Airways and Talofa Airways at the time, in relation to parking and landing fees and available parking spaces for aircraft operated by the two airlines. 

Other extension work needed for Fagalii Airport included the runway resurfacing and apron, renovating the terminal, and the VIP lounge, and fixing drainage and the car park.