Pago Pago International Airport is the main airport in American Samoa, an unincorporated territory of the United States.
It is a gateway for passengers and cargo to and from neighboring Pacific island nations such as Fiji, Hawaii, New Zealand, and Samoa. The airport is located at Tafuna on Nu’uuli Island in the capital city of Pago Pago.
Pago Pago History
Pago Pago International Airport is a public airport in Tafuna, American Samoa. It is also known as Tafuna Airfield.
U.S. Marines and Navy Seabees built the airport during World War II in 1942, landed on the island from warships, and made an airfield from scratch using coral and sand for runways and taxiways.
The airport was named after the village of Pago Pago (meaning “long beach”), located near Tutuila Island.
In 1945, ownership of Tafuna Airfield was transferred from military control to civilian agencies under an agreement signed between Governor John Mott-Smith and Secretary of War Robert Patterson.
Tafuna Airfield
Tafuna Airfield was built in 1942 and was the first airport on Tutuila Island. It was built to support the military during World War II and train pilots for combat missions.
The U.S. Army Air Corps used it extensively until 1945 when they disbanded their presence.
Leone Airfield
Leone Airfield was the first airport in American Samoa and was constructed by the U.S. Navy in 1943. It was named after U.S. Navy Lieutenant George A. Leone, who died during the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942.
The airfield consisted of a single runway built on an island in Pago Pago Harbor and served as both a seaplane base and land-based facility until it closed in 1947 due to poor conditions caused by frequent tropical storms.
Pago Pago International Airport
Pago Pago International Airport is located in the village of Tafuna, on the island of Tau, in American Samoa’s Eastern District. During World War II, the airport was built and was named after a nearby cape on Tutuila Island.
The airport has been expanded several times since its original construction; however, it remains relatively small compared to other major international airports worldwide.
The primary runway at Pago Pago International Airport can accommodate large commercial jets and smaller aircraft operating within American Samoa’s tourism industry.
Pre-jet service
Pago Pago International Airport was opened in 1935 and is the only airport in American Samoa. It was initially built by Pan American World Airways, which began service to Pago Pago on February 21, 1935.
The China Clipper made the first flight, a Sikorsky S-42 seaplane from San Francisco to Auckland, New Zealand.
The airport served as a stopover for Pan Am between San Francisco and Sydney until 1941 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor; at this point, all commercial airline traffic ceased due to war restrictions.
The Jet Age
In the 1950s, jet service began to replace propeller aircraft. Jet aircraft were faster and more comfortable than their predecessors, and they also allowed longer flights, which meant passengers could get from A to B faster.
But jets were more expensive than prop planes: tickets cost $1 per mile in 1960, compared with just 20 cents per mile for propeller aircraft at the time.
Jet service also allowed airlines to offer direct routes rather than winding around on multi-stop journeys that took longer overall but cost less per seat because fewer people were involved in each flight.
Trans-Pacific jet service and height of commercial aviation
The first jet service began in 1958 and was essential to the economy and tourism. Commercial aviation was also the height, as many airlines were competing to offer more flights, more destinations, and better service.
Cargo commercial aviation
The cargo commercial aviation industry has been growing steadily over the past decade. In 2017, it was estimated that more than one billion tons of freight were transported via air.
This number is expected to increase by another billion this year as more people migrate from rural areas into cities and countries become more affluent overall.
Douglas Aircraft Company built the first cargo plane in 1929, but it wasn’t until after World War II that commercial airlines started carrying cargo and passengers on their aircraft.
The downturn in airport usage and travel
Pago Pago International Airport is the gateway to American Samoa, a chain of islands in the South Pacific Ocean. The airport serves as the hub for Polynesian Airlines and has been operating since 1963.
However, in recent years, passenger traffic has declined significantly due to an economic downturn, and tourism and cargo shipments have declined. This has led to fewer airlines offering service at this airport and less competition among them.
Runway and facility expansion
The main runway at Pago Pago International Airport is being expanded to 10,000 feet as part of a $10 million project.
The runway expansion will allow larger aircraft to land and take off from the airport and enable it to accommodate future tourism growth.
The terminal building is also being expanded by 4,000 square feet, allowing more room for check-in counters, security screening areas, and other passenger amenities.
Airport officials are working toward increasing cargo capacity by adding new cargo facilities to handle all types of shipments, including perishables such as fruits and vegetables that require refrigeration during transport.
An additional parking area has been constructed on land adjacent to the airport’s existing parking lot; this new space will give visitors more options when choosing where they want their cars parked while visiting American Samoa.
Apollo space program
Pago Pago is the launching site for the Apollo space program. The first launch was on July 16, 1969, and the second was on April 11, 1970.
Apollo 11 launched a man into outer space who became the first man to walk on the moon–Neil Armstrong. This flight was also notable because it marked America’s victory over Russia in the Cold War Space Race.
Today
Today, Pago Pago International Airport is a hub for the Pacific and South Pacific regions. It’s also home to a military base established in World War II, and the airport has been expanded several times since then.
Airlines and destinations
Pago Pago International Airport is an airport in Pago Pago, American Samoa. It is the only airport in American Samoa and serves as a hub for Polynesian Airlines, which has its headquarters.
The airport was initially built by the Japanese during World War II but was destroyed by Allied forces before they could use it. The facility was opened in 1963 after being rebuilt with U.S. funds from the Marshall Plan.
Facilities
A single runway is available at the airport, about 2,400 feet long. The terminal building has an observation deck that overlooks the airfield.
There is also a control tower, fire station, and parking lot available for use by passengers and employees of Pago Pago International Airport.
Conclusion
The airport is vital to American Samoa’s economy, contributing $533 million annually to the local economy and supporting more than 2,000 jobs.
The airport also provides access to medical care and other services for residents who live in remote areas of the territory. It has been proposed that Pago Pago International Airport be expanded with a new runway.
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