Samoa’s Faleolo International Airport is undergoing a makeover. Located 25 miles west of capital city Apia, the airport was originally built by the US navy after the war broke out in the South Pacific in 1942.

With an emphasis on crowd processing efficiency, technological upgrades, cleanliness and increased capacity, Faleolo’s refurbishment is in line with the country’s mission to meet the growing demands of increasing passenger traffic and to improve infrastructure.

The airport refurbishment is being progressively rolled out.. Phase One sees the upgrade and expansion of the departures building. Phases Two and Three due to be completed by early 2018 will see the addition of a new Arrivals Terminal and public areas.

New aerobridges will also feature at the completion of the project and as the new arrivals hall is built, a temporary terminal, now in operation, will be used to cater for all inbound flights into Faleolo.

Sonja Hunter of Samoa Tourism Authority has expressed confidence in the project, welcoming the development as part of efforts towards the establishment of Samoa as a major hub for travel and trade in the South Pacific.

“The new airport is a fabulous representation of our country’s growth. Samoa is fast becoming a feature in many traveller’s bucket lists and an expansion to cope with increasing visitor arrivals will also promote an improved airport experience. It could not have come at a better time and we are ready for greater accessibility and for new carriers to come and consider Samoa as a new destination,” says Sonja.