Biaugunu Airport

Saqani, Cakaudrove, FJ 🇫🇯 Closed Airport

ICAO

FJ-0006

IATA

-

Elevation

32 ft

Region

FJ-N

Local Time

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Airport Information

GPS Code: Not available

Local Code: Not available

Location: -16.44938° N, 179.740105° E

Continent: OC

Type: Closed Airport

Keywords: Saqani Airport NFBG AQS

Terminal Information Not Available
Terminal arrivals and departures are only available for airports with scheduled commercial service and IATA codes.

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Airport Information

Airport Closure Information

Last updated: Jul 25, 2025
Closure Date

Circa mid-2000s (approximately 2005-2007). News reports from 2017 stated the airstrip had been 'lying idle for more than 10 years', indicating a gradual fall into disuse rather than a specific, dated closure event.

Reason for Closure

The closure was primarily due to economic and logistical factors. A combination of high maintenance costs for a remote grass airstrip, coupled with a low and likely declining volume of traffic, made scheduled operations unsustainable. As road networks in Vanua Levu, though still challenging, gradually improved, the essential reliance on more expensive air travel diminished for the local population, leading to the airstrip's disuse and lack of maintenance.

Current Status

The site is currently an abandoned and unmaintained airstrip. Satellite imagery clearly shows the overgrown grass runway adjacent to the coast. The outline of the airstrip is still visible, but it is not serviceable for any aviation activity. The land has not been repurposed and remains an unused piece of infrastructure.

Historical Significance

Biaugunu Airport, more commonly known as the Saqani Airstrip, was a vital lifeline for the remote Saqani District in the Cakaudrove Province. During its operational period, it facilitated essential connectivity for isolated communities. Operations were limited to small, rugged aircraft with Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) capabilities, likely operated by Fiji's domestic carriers (such as Sunflower Airlines, now Fiji Link) and private charter companies. Its primary roles were providing passenger transport, enabling critical medical evacuations (MEDEVAC), moving light cargo and mail, and allowing access for government administration and services.

Reopening Prospects

There are significant and recurring prospects for reopening. Since at least 2017, local community leaders and the Fijian Government have repeatedly discussed plans to rehabilitate and reopen the Saqani Airstrip. The primary motivations are to improve access to government services and healthcare for the local population and to unlock the region's tourism potential. The Fijian Government has included the airstrip in national plans for surveying and upgrading rural aviation infrastructure. However, as of recent reports, these plans remain in the survey and planning stages, with no definitive timeline announced for the commencement of construction or the resumption of flights.

Nearby Airports

Rabi Island Airport
RBI • NFFR
Rabi Island, FJ
Small Airport
~27 km away
Labasa Airport
LBS • NFNL
Labasa, FJ
Medium Airport Scheduled Service
~43 km away
Matei Airport
TVU • NFNM
Matei, FJ
Small Airport Scheduled Service
~49 km away
Savusavu Airport
SVU • NFNS
Savusavu, FJ
Small Airport Scheduled Service
~58 km away
Laucala Island Airport
LUC • NFNH
Laucala Island, FJ
Small Airport
~71 km away
Distances are approximate and calculated as straight-line distances.

User Comments Leave a comment

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Airport is now closed Posted by douglasr on September 15, 2009

According to an article on Flightglobal (http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/09/15/332297/fiji-closes-biaugunu-airport.html) this airport is now closed. The airport was opened in 1980 but scheduled services ceased in 1984 when better roads made travel by other means more practical.