Fiji Airways is the only airline operating in the small South Pacific island nation of Tuvalu. Formerly known as the Ellice Islands, Tuvalu is situated midway between Hawaii and Australia, consisting of three reef islands and six atolls located west of the International Date Line.
As the second least populous country in the world, following the Vatican, Tuvalu has a mere land area of 10 square miles and a permanent population of approximately 10,600 residents. The regional subsidiary of Fiji Airways, Fiji Link, utilizes the ATR 72-600 aircraft for its services between Fiji and Tuvalu, operating flights three times a week from Suva. The flight duration is about two hours.
Upon returning to Suva, the airline offers several connecting flights to Nadi Airport, allowing passengers to link up with the broader Fiji Airways network. Funafuti International Airport (FUN) is particularly notable due to the island’s limited size. When flights are not active, the runway is also used for various sports and social events. A siren is sounded to alert locals when an aircraft is about to land, ensuring safety around the 5,000-foot paved runway.
In the past, the small nation’s airport accommodated two additional international airlines. Air Marshall Islands operated a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 until 1999, and Air Kiribati provided a weekly service with its Bombardier Dash 8 100 until September 2021.