Lonorore Airport

Lonorore Airport
IATA: LNE – ICAO: NVSO
Summary
Airport type	Public
Serves	Lonorore, Pentecost Island, Vanuatu
Elevation AMSL	43 ft / 13 m
Coordinates	15°51′56″S 168°10′19″E / 15.86556°S 168.17194°E / -15.86556; 168.17194Coordinates: 15°51′56″S 168°10′19″E / 15.86556°S 168.17194°E / -15.86556; 168.17194
Map
LNE Location of airport in Vanuatu
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 900 2,297
Source: [1]

Lonorore Airport (IATA: LNE, ICAO: NVSO) or Lonoror (possibly from Ske lon or "in the fence") is an airport on south-western Pentecost Island, Vanuatu.

Overview

Lonorore began as a grass airstrip, capable of accommodating 20-seater Twin Otter aircraft in good conditions, although it was frequently unusable due to waterlogging in wet weather. The airport is built in the middle of an old coconut plantation. The airport was upgraded in 2008-2009 with a longer, tarmacked runway capable of operating in most weather conditions and being used by larger ATR aircraft, though in practice the airport is still serviced mainly by Twin Otters.

Lonorore is used for Air Vanuatu domestic flights to Port Vila and Santo, sometimes via Ambae. Schedules change regularly but there are typically flights on two or three days of the week. Between April and June the airport caters for significant numbers of day trippers from Port Vila who come to watch the weekly land-diving ceremonies which take place nearby.

Near the airport is a small post office which handles all of southern Pentecost's mail. On flight days, women often set up markets near the airport, selling homegrown vegetables and homecooked food.

Airlines and destinations

Gallery

• 
  Custom dancing at the opening ceremony of the upgraded Lonorore Airport, July 2009
• 
  Plane approaching the old Lonorore airstrip, prior to upgrading, 2006

References

External links

Media related to Lonorore Airport at Wikimedia Commons