Rarotonga International Airport ( rar, Papa Rererangi o Rarotonga) is the Cook Islands' main international gateway, located in the town and district of Avarua, Rarotonga, west of the downtown area on the northern coast. Originally built in 1944, the airport was expanded in the early 1970s, and officially opened for jets in January 1974. Because of the proximity of the runways to the nearby roads, it is possible to get very close to the aircraft while they are departing and landing. In July 2015, three tourists were injured by jet blast after being blown over while watching an Air New Zealand Boeing 777 take off. Consequently, in 2016, the Cook Islands Tourism Corporation warned tourist operators that they should not promote the jet blast area as a tourist attraction.

History

An unsealed airstrip at Nikao was originally constructed by the Ministry of Works and Development, New Zealand Department of Public Works in 1944, with the first flight landing in November 1945. The New Zealand National Airways Corporation operated fortnightly flights to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Aitutaki from 1945 to 1952, and Samoa Airways, Polynesian Airways operated flights to Apia from 1963 to 1966. In 1964 the airstrip was extended from 5,000 to 6,000 feet, and Tasman Empire Airways Limited, TEAL proposed sealing the runway to allow for jet aircraft. The issue was forced in 1966, when increased regulation of international flights requiring the use of larger aircraft threatened to cut off air-travel entirely. Local land-owners agreed to expansion, and the New Zealand government agreed to provide funding in exchange for control of airspace rights. Construction began in June 1970, and completed in 1973. The first jet flight, an Air New Zealand Douglas DC-8, landed in December 1973. The international airport was officially opened on 28 January 1974. The Cook Islands government took control of landing rights in 1985. In 2003, the terminal and departure and check-in areas were revamped at a cost of US$650,000. An $8.5 million reconstruction project commenced in 2009 to revamp and expand the existing terminal facilities. The new-look terminal was officially opened on 22 June 2010.

Airlines and destinations

Gallery

File:Planes at Rarotonga Airport.JPG, Air Rarotonga Saab 340 and Embraer Bandeirante File:Air New Zealand 777.JPG, Air New Zealand Boeing 777-200ER at Rarotonga File:Raro airport from air.JPG, Another outbound view of Rarotonga Airport and the island's mountainous interior File:Air New Zealand at Rarotonga Int Airport.JPG, An Air New Zealand Boeing 767-300ER airliner at Rarotonga International Airport File:Air Rarotonga Saab.JPG, Air Rarotonga Saab 340 inter-island airliner at the airport File:Air New Zealand Airbus A320.JPG, Air New Zealand Airbus A320-200 awaiting passengers at Rarotonga International

References

External links

* * {{authority control Airports in the Cook Islands Avarua Airports established in 1974 1974 establishments in the Cook Islands