Bora Bora Airport

Bora Bora Airport
Aéroport de Bora Bora
Summary
Airport type Public
Operator SETIL - Aéroports
Serves Bora Bora, French Polynesia, France
Location Motu Mute
Elevation AMSL 11 ft / 3 m
Coordinates 16°26′37″S 151°45′09″W / 16.44361°S 151.75250°W / -16.44361; -151.75250
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
11/29 1,500 4,921 Asphalt
17/35 914 3,000 Coral
Statistics (2014)
Passengers 270,535
Passenger traffic change Increase 2.1%
Data: French AIP.,[1] Statistics: official site.[2]

Bora Bora Airport (IATA: BOB, ICAO: NTTB), also known as Motu Mute Airport, is an airport serving the island of Bora Bora in French Polynesia, France. It is located on the islet of Motu Mute.[1]

The airport was opened in 1943, during World War II. Commercial service became available in 1958 after the runway was reconstructed. It is built on an island (the Polynesian word for which is "motu") located in a lagoon. A boat transfer is necessary to get to the main island of Bora Bora.[3]

Passengers from Vaitape, the largest population center on Bora Bora, usually use this airport for air travel.

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Air Tahiti Huahine-Fare, Manihi, Maupiti, Raiatea, Papeete, Rangiroa, Tikehau

Air Tahiti serves flights from Bora Bora with late model 48-seat ATR 42 and 68-seat ATR 72 twin engine propjets.

Although the airport does not have scheduled passenger airline jet service, larger business jet types such as Bombardier Global Express, Gulfstream V, and Dassault Falcon 900 have used the airfield.[4]

Historical airline service

Bora Bora Airport signage

Prior to the opening of the Faa'a International Airport (PPT) in Papeete, Tahiti in 1960, Bora Bora was served by French air carrier Transports Aeriens Intercontinentaux (TAI) with Douglas DC-7C propliner service direct to Los Angeles (LAX) via a stop in Honolulu (HNL) and also direct to Noumea via a stop in Nandi (NAN, now Nadi) with both flights operating once a week.[5] With the opening of the Papeete Airport, TAI then began flying DC-7C service followed by Douglas DC-8 jet service directly into Papeete, Tahiti with connecting flights between Bora Bora and Papeete being operated by regional French Polynesian air carrier Reseau Aerien Interinsulaire (RAI) with Douglas DC-4 propliners and Short Sandringham "Bermuda" flying boats during the early 1960s.[6]

RAI was then renamed Air Polynesie which continued to operate Douglas DC-4 service into Bora Bora in 1970 before introducing Fokker F27 turboprops on flights to Papeete by the mid 1970s.[7] Air Polynesie also served Bora Bora with de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter commuter turboprops.[8] Air Polynesie was in turn renamed Air Tahiti in 1986 and this air carrier continues to serve Bora Bora at the present time with ATR 42 and ATR 72 propjets.

References

  1. 1 2 NTTB – Bora Bora Motu Mute. AIP from French Service d'information aéronautique, effective 11 October 2018.
  2. ↑ Movements & passengers Archived November 25, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ Bora Bora Airport at SETIL Aéroports Archived August 31, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ http://www.airliners.net, photos of aircraft at the Bora Bora Airport in French Polynesia
  5. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, August 15, 1960 Air France system timetable, TAI flight schedules for French Polynesia
  6. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, April 1, 1963 Transports Aeriens Intercontinentaux (TAI) system timetable.
  7. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, Sept. 30, 1970 & June 1, 1974 Air Polynesie system timetables
  8. ↑ http://www.timetableimages.com, July 1, 1978 Air Polynesie system timetable
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