Samoa Airport Authority (S.A.A.) will fork out close to SAT$3 million to carry out upgrading work on the Fagali’i airport, the Samoa Observer can reveal. 

The management and the executive of the S.A.A. are waiting for approval from the Cabinet on their proposal to re-open the airport on 29 May 2023. The authority plans to renovate the terminal at Fagali’i and add more space for local businesses to cater to travelers between Samoa and American Samoa. The authority is also proposing that the runway be extended by 100 meters and resealed using asphalt. 

Attempts by the Samoa Observer on Monday to get comments from the C.E.O. of the S.A.A. Silimana’i Junior Solomona on the progress of their plans and preparations for the resumption of flights between Pago-Pago and Fagali’i were unsuccessful. 

This newspaper visited the currently shut airport on Monday and witnessed construction work being undertaken. The plan to re-open Fagali’i the Government for aviation purposes was revealed last year. 

The Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Olo Fiti Va’ai in an interview with the Samoa Observer last year confirmed that the S.A.A. had already begun preparations to re-open the airport.

He said the closure of Fagali’i had dire effects on businesses around the aerodrome, and there was also a proposal from the American Samoa Government during the first Atoa o Samoa meeting last year to consider re-opening the airport.

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 carried out by a team of civil engineers from New Zealand on the location and condition of the airport and had given them the green light. 

Plans to reopen the airstrip have 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, has 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 conflicts between Samoa Airways and Talofa Airways at the time in relation to parking and landing fees and available parking spaces for aircraft by the two airlines. 

Of the estimated cost of the extension work needed for Fagalii airport before its re-opening, $1.3 million will go towards runway resurfacing and apron, $1 million for renovating the terminal and also the VIP lounge, and fixing drainage and car park. An allocation of $500,000 will go towards getting a fire service set up as well as renovations needed for the building as well as $200,000 for a security gate.