Regional Airport Terminal & Apron to be ready for CHOGM

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, SAMOA – 07 May 2024 – A Regional Airport Terminal and an Apron Projects at Faleolo International Airport will help the expected traffic during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) meeting in October 2024.

Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa led the ground-breaking ceremony last Friday giving the contractors five months to complete the project in time.

The Prime Minister said the development will not only improve transportation, an avenue for businesses to operate and facilitate tourist movement, but it symbolizes Samoa’s commitment to modernizing infrastructure and embracing the future of aviation.

“This important occasion marks a transformative step towards enhancing Samoa’s air transport connectivity and contributes immensely to the development of our economy,” she said.

She sees the project as a way to enhance air travel connectivity, stimulate economic growth, create jobs in aviation, tourism, and hospitality, attract investment, and increase trade opportunities.

Regional Airport Terminal
The Regional Airport Terminal project built on the western side of the international terminal is designed to cater to the needs of small aircrafts and the traveling public. Then main focus is servicing air transport from the Pacific region such Tonga, Fiji, Pago Pago, Niue, Tuvalu, Cook Islands as well as domestic routes to and from Maota & Asau in Savaii.

With Samoa hosting CHOGM in mid-October 2024, congestion is expected to be an issue at the airport but all these can be avoided with the new construction project now in progress and expected to be completed by September 2024.

The terminal project costs ST$10 million.

The cleared ground for the regional airport terminal.

The $15m New Apron – Aircraft Parking Area
The new apron will be constructed jointly with the new Regional Airport Terminal to assist with aircraft slot management and assist with aircraft parking mainly for private jets and smaller aircrafts, including 737 Boeing aircrafts.

The Apron Area will target 5-8 private jets parking slots and is also expected to be finished by September at a cost of ST$15m.

“Today, we celebrate not just the ground-breaking of a new airport infrastructure but also the commencement of new opportunities for the business community and prosperity for Samoa,” said Fiamē.

She said such developments are a symbol of hope and dreams.

“It is a reminder that even small nations can achieve great things when working together with determination and a shared vision. As we witness the construction of this Project, let us all be inspired to work towards a brighter future for Samoa and the Pacific region,” she said.

Fiamē also commended the Samoa Airport Board of Directors for the vision and initiative.