Honiara International Airport
Honiara International Airport (IATA: HIR, ICAO: AGGH), formerly known as Henderson Field, is an airport in the province of Guadalcanal in the nation of Solomon Islands. It is the primary international airport in the country, the second being Munda Airport in Western Province, which serves as its alternate. It is located 8 kilometres (5 miles) from the capital, Honiara.
Honiara International Airport (formerly Henderson Field) | |||||||||||
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 Solomon Airlines Airbus A320-211 at Honiara Airport in 2012 | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Civilian | ||||||||||
| Location | Guadalcanal | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 28 ft / 9 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 09°25′41″S 160°03′17″E | ||||||||||
| Website | flysolomons | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  HIR Location of the airport in Solomon Islands  HIR HIR (Oceania) | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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Source: WAD[1] | |||||||||||
- For the military history of the airport, see Henderson Field (Guadalcanal)
History
The airstrip was under construction by engineers of the Imperial Japanese Navy when it was captured by the American 1st Marine Division. The Marines renamed the nascent field for Marine Major Lofton Henderson, the first Marine aviator killed in action at the Battle of Midway. Henderson, commanding officer of VMSB-241, had died while leading his squadron in an attack against Japanese carrier forces.
Finishing and repairing the field became the main project of the Seabees of Naval Construction Battalion 6. Control of the airstrip was the focus of months of fighting in the Battle for Henderson Field during the Guadalcanal campaign of World War II and the Seabees ensured that the airstrip remained operational throughout the battle.
The field was abandoned after the war, but reopened in 1969 as an international civilian airport. The airport routinely accommodates the Airbus A320.
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck 57 km southwest of Honiara on November 22, 2022.[2] The ceiling of the terminal was damaged but the structure remained intact. The affected areas were closed for repairs.[3]
Airlines and destinations
Passenger
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Air Niugini | Nadi, Port Moresby |
| Fiji Airways | Nadi |
| Nauru Airlines | Brisbane, Nauru[4] |
| QantasLink | Brisbane (begins 29 October 2023)[5] |
| Solomon Airlines | Afutara, Arona, Atoifi, Auckland, Auki, Bellona, Brisbane, Fera, Gizo, Kagau, Kirakira, Marau, Munda, Nadi, Port Vila, Ramata, Seghe, Suavanao, Sydney, Tarawa |
References
- "HONIARA INTL". World Aero Data. WorldAeroData.com. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
- "M 7.0 - 17 km SW of Malango, Solomon Islands". United States Geological Survey. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- Needham ,Kirsty, Buildings damaged but no tsunami warning for Solomon Islands after 7.0 earthquake, Reuters 22 November 2022.
- "Nauru Airlines Expands Pacific Islands Operation From Jan 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
- "New Qantas triple treat for Brisbane". Retrieved 19 May 2023.
