The Labasa Airport has received its first flight this morning following the opening of the newly renovated runway.

The Labasa Airport has received its first flight this morning following the opening of the newly renovated runway.

This is part of the $3.2million Fiji Airports upgrade of outer island assets.

Northern Air Captain Rainjesh San says the upgrade was timely.

“There was a need for the upgrade it was more so for the apron because there was a little separation that was missing for a long time between the centre of the runway or the edge of the runway to the ATRs. The height of the aero planes was affecting the clearance and I think Fiji Airports Limited has acted in a timely manner to rescue that.”

Captain San who flew in the first flight following the upgrade says the runway is quite impressive.

“The lengthening of the runway and the terminal would be the next two phases, I would like to see in the next phase, keep doing the good work that you guys are doing on the runway, keep it rolling and I think in the next few days, more aircrafts will come and it all be extremely well.”

The Labasa Airport runway upgrade cost $1.7million while work on the apron will continue through to September.