Ofu airport officially re-opens after assessment

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Ofu Airport, which completed the runway extension last month, is officially reopened for commercial flights following tests flights by Samoa Airways over the weekend, as well as a site visit by Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga earlier this week.

Last month, the runway project — contracted to Paramount Builders — was dedicated, with a delegation from Tutuila. But it was also around the same time, that high waves pushed debris ashore and caused problems for shoreline villages throughout American Samoa including the Ofu Airport runway.

A Port Administration official confirmed yesterday that the Ofu Airport is now officially reopened for commercial flights, after Samoa Airways conducted three test flights on the runway over the weekend.

There was also a team of ASG and federal officials who traveled to Ofu on a charter flight to inspect and assess any damage from last month’s high waves. And the governor traveled there earlier this week, not only to site visit the runway project but other ASG projects on Ofu.

No information was available from Samoa Airways yet as to when commercial flights will resume to Ofu Airport in the Manu’a island group.