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Honiara International Airport
(formerly Henderson Field)
Solomon Airlines Airbus A320-211 at Honiara Airport in 2012
Summary
Airport typeCivilian
LocationGuadalcanal
Elevation AMSL28 ft / 9 m
Coordinates09°25′41″S 160°03′17″E / 9.42806°S 160.05472°E / -9.42806; 160.05472
Websiteflysolomons.com/plan/honiara-airport
Map
HIR is located in Solomon Islands
HIR
HIR
Location of the airport in Solomon Islands
HIR is located in Oceania
HIR
HIR
HIR (Oceania)
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
06/24 7,218 2,200 Asphalt
Source: WAD[1]

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.

History

Further information: Henderson Field (Guadalcanal)
Departures area

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

AirlinesDestinations
Air Niugini Nadi, Port Moresby
Fiji Airways Nadi
QantasLink Brisbane[4]
Solomon Airlines Afutara, Arona, Atoifi, Auckland, Auki, Bellona, Brisbane, Fera, Gizo, Kagau, Kirakira, Marau, Munda, Nadi, Port Vila, Ramata, Seghe, Suavanao, Sydney, Tarawa
Aerial view of Honiara International Airport looking to east

References

  1. ^ "HONIARA INTL". World Aero Data. WorldAeroData.com. Archived from the original on 12 November 2006. Retrieved 2 March 2020.((cite web)): CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ^ "M 7.0 - 17 km SW of Malango, Solomon Islands". United States Geological Survey. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  3. ^ Needham ,Kirsty, Buildings damaged but no tsunami warning for Solomon Islands after 7.0 earthquake, Reuters 22 November 2022.
  4. ^ "New Qantas triple treat for Brisbane". Retrieved 19 May 2023.
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