Pohnpei International Airport is an
airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...
located on
Pohnpei Island
Pohnpei "upon (''pohn'') a stone altar (''pei'')" (formerly known as Ponape or Ascension, Proto-Chuukic-Pohnpeic: ''*Fawo ni pei)'' is an island of the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group. It belongs to Pohnpei ...
(formerly Ponape), the main
island
An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...
of
Pohnpei State
Pohnpei State (IPA: pɔ:n peɪ) is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The other states are, from east to west, Kosrae State, Chuuk State, and Yap State. The state's main island is Pohnpei.
History
The pre-colonia ...
. It is close to
Palikir
Palikir () is the capital city of the Federated States of Micronesia located in the western Pacific Ocean. A town of slightly under 5,000 residents, it is part of the larger Sokehs municipality, which had a population of 6,647 , out of the nati ...
, the capital of the
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia (; abbreviated FSM) is an island country in Oceania. It consists of four states from west to east, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosraethat are spread across the western Pacific. Together, the states comprise a ...
.
The extension of the Pohnpei International Airport began in 2009, and it was anticipated that it would be completed in 2011. The Government of Japan has agreed to provide about US$29 million for the entire project. The project includes extending the runway by 228 m and improving the terminal facilities and apron. Enhancements will help prevent problems such as when a
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is an American narrow-body airliner that was developed and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.
After the heavy 707 quad-jet was introduced in 1958, Boeing addressed the demand for shorter flight lengths from smaller airpo ...
cargo jet overran the runway and the airport had to be closed for six days in May 2008.
Airlines and destinations
Like many islands within the region, commercial air service is rather limited due to small population and tourist traffic. The only current scheduled passenger services for Pohnpei are the
United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. (formerly
Continental Micronesia)
Island Hopper flights operated with
Boeing 737-800
The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as 737NG, or 737 Next Gen, is a narrow-body aircraft powered by two jet engines and produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Launched in 1993 as the third generation derivative of the Boein ...
jetliners between
Guam
Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic cent ...
and
Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
(three times weekly in each direction), the Guam-
Chuuk-Pohnpei flights and a flight to Port Moresby on Air Niugini. Also
Caroline Islands Air provides charter flights around the region.
In addition to passenger services,
Asia Pacific Airlines transports cargo (including U.S. mail) to and from Pohnpei.
See also
*
Island Hopper scheduled air service
External links
Pohnpei Visitors Center: Garden Island of Micronesia
References
Airports in the Federated States of Micronesia
Airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...
International airports in the Federated States of Micronesia
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