Faa'a International Airport, International airport in Faʻaʻā, French Polynesia.
Faa'a International Airport sits on reclaimed reef land along the western coast near Papeete and serves as French Polynesia's main air gateway. The runway extends into the lagoon and the terminal building has two separate wings connected by a central hall.
The facility opened in 1960 to replace seaplane services that had previously connected the islands. Over the following decades it grew into the primary link between French Polynesia and the outside world.
Arriving visitors typically hear the greeting „Ia ora na
The terminal sits about three miles (five kilometers) west of Papeete and is reached by a coastal road. Visitors arriving in the morning can usually connect quickly to onward flights toward nearby islands.
The facility was built partly over shallow ocean water on an artificial platform so that waves sometimes roll directly beneath the wings of landing aircraft. On some days the sound of surf can be heard inside the terminal while waiting at the gates.
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