Fiji Airways is the only airline providing services to the small South Pacific island nation of Tuvalu. Previously referred to as the Ellice Islands, Tuvalu is situated between Hawaii and Australia. It consists of three reef islands and six atolls located west of the International Date Line.
As the second least populous country after Vatican City, Tuvalu has a land area of merely 10 square miles and a permanent population of around 10,600 residents. The regional division of Fiji Airways, known as Fiji Link, operates its ATR 72-600 aircraft between Fiji and Tuvalu, offering flights three times a week from Suva. The flight duration is approximately two hours.
Upon returning to Suva, the airline offers several connecting flights to Nadi Airport, facilitating passengers’ access to the broader Fiji Airways network. Funafuti International Airport (FUN), the main airport in Tuvalu, is noteworthy due to the limited space on the island. In instances of unexpected flights, the runway doubles as a location for sports and social gatherings.
A siren is sounded to alert locals when a plane is preparing to land, advising them to avoid the 5,000-foot paved runway. In the past, Tuvalu’s airport also accommodated two other international airlines. Air Marshall Islands operated a Hawker Siddeley HS 748 until 1999, while Air Kiribati provided a weekly service with its Bombardier Dash 8 100 until September 2021.