VT2 billion to expand Tanna Airport for international flights
August 18, 2026 11:13 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
By Anita Roberts.
The TAFEA Provincial Government Council (TPGC) has estimated that it will cost VT2 billion to expand Tanna Airport to accommodate larger aircraft under its newly launched four-year economic plan.
Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Minister of Finance Johnny Koanapo, on behalf of the Government, received the TAFEA Province Economic Development Plan from TPGC President Andrew Iawak during his visit to Tanna.
He said the plan will guide the Ministerial Budget Committee in its discussions on the 2027 Government budget.
DPM Koanapo said Tanna Airport needs to be expanded to accommodate direct international flights from neighbouring countries such as New Caledonia and Fiji.
Currently, ATR aircraft cannot operate at their maximum passenger and load capacity at Tanna Airport, the Deputy PM said. He said some large trees near the airport need to be removed to make enough space for an extended runway.
The Deputy PM said he had met with Air Vanuatu to discuss the matter.
Tanna Airport was formerly known as Whitegrass Airport. It was renamed as part of a rebranding some years ago by Airports Vanuatu Limited.
Apart from the airport extension, Koanapo said TAFEA’s main domestic shipping port at Lenakel is no longer large enough to accommodate containerised cargo.
This need has already been identified by the provincial government, and the national government needs to help make it a reality, the DPM said.
He mentioned the need for a proper port and a company to efficiently manage the loading, unloading and transport of containers.
The need to extend Tanna Airport has been a long-standing concern for the people of the island.
In 2020, the landowners of the area where the airport is located petitioned the Government, through the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Works, to extend the airport to accommodate bigger aircraft. This was during a visit by then-Prime Minister Bob Loughman to Imanaka village.
The landowners said at the time that they had given their land for the airport but wanted to see more development activities on it.
They made an additional request for the Government to build a mini-wharf on an area they were willing to offer. These petitions are now part of the provincial economic plan.
