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 renown 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 however scheduled international flights no longer operate with all such flights arriving in Tongatapu. Charters and private aircraft may still use the International facilities at Vava'u airport by contacting Tonga Airports Ltd.
Domestic air services are operated by Chathams Pacific Airlines which is a wholly owned subsidiary of New Zealand Airline Air Chathams Ltd. Note: Chatham Pacific has ceased flying from Vava'u. The service is now provided by Real Tonga, a branch of Palu Aviation Services.
Chathams Pacific operate an online booking system offering twice daily flights to and from Tongatapu. They generally run a 50 seat Convair 580 on this route with an 18 seat Metroliner also used periodically.
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.
Famous quotes containing the word airport:
“Airplanes are invariably scheduled to depart at such times as 7:54, 9:21 or 11:37. This extreme specificity has the effect on the novice of instilling in him the twin beliefs that he will be arriving at 10:08, 1:43 or 4:22, and that he should get to the airport on time. These beliefs are not only erroneous but actually unhealthy.”
—Fran Lebowitz (b. 1950)