Marshall Islands International Airport , also known as Amata Kabua International Airport, is an airport

Airport

An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...

 located in the western part of Rairok

Rairok

Rairok is a town in the Marshall Islands. It is located on the southeastern side Majuro Atoll, between Delap in the east and Ajeltake in the west.- Geography :...

 on the south side of Majuro

Majuro

Majuro , is a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean, and forms a legislative district of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands. The atoll itself has a land area of and encloses a lagoon of...

 Atoll, the capital of the Republic of the Marshall Islands

Marshall Islands

The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...

. The airport was built sometime after World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 (1943) on Anenelibw and Lokojbar islets. It replaced an earlier coral-surfaced airstrip at Delap

Delap

Delap is an island town in the Marshall Islands. It is located in the east of Majuro Atoll. Along with Uliga and Djarrit it forms what is known as the "D–U–D communities"....

 Island near the eastern end of Majuro Atoll that had been constructed by Japanese occupation forces in 1942.

A series of single floor structures (small hangars) makeup the airport terminal. No physical structures existed at the airport prior to the 1970s. The current terminal structure and modern runway/apron were built in 1971. Passengers from flights arriving at the airport use stairs to exit aircraft and walk to the terminal.

The airport is capable of handling all propeller driven aircraft, turboprop

Turboprop

A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...

, business jets and small to mid size jet aircraft (e.g., Boeing 737

Boeing 737

The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...

, Boeing 727

Boeing 727

The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...

), but it can handle Boeing 767

Boeing 767

The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...

.

The Republic of Marshall Islands Ports Authority (RMI Port Authority) replaced the Marshall Islands Airports Authority in managing the airport in 2003 under RMI Port Authority Act.

Airport improvements

Sea walls have been added to prevent the sea from reclaiming the infill used to create the airport.

Beginning in 2007, airport improvement projects have replaced the runway surfaces. The apron was rebuilt to better handle aircraft and the runway repaved with new markings. Upgrades to the airport were completed in 2009.

Two new airport fire tenders from the FAA were added to existing 3 tender fleet as part of the airport improvement projects in 2007.

Airlines

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines

is an airline headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan. It is the flag carrier of Japan and its main hubs are Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport , as well as Nagoya's Chūbu Centrair International Airport and Osaka's Kansai International Airport...

 also operates occasional chartered flights to Majuro for scuba tours.

Ground transportation

Taxis and shuttle bus provide ground transportation to and from the airport to other areas of the island.

The main and only road on Majuro Island provides access to the airport.

Incidents

No accidents have been reported at the airport and only two incidents involving aircraft originating from the airport:

• March 11, 2001 - Express One Boeing 727
  Boeing 727
  The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
  
   lands short of the runway at Pohnpei Airport. Aircraft originated from Marshall Island International Airport.
• December 2, 1994 - Trans Island Air Britten-Norman BN-2B-2 Islander
  Britten-Norman Islander
  The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in...
  
  crash lands 320 km from Majuro. The aircraft had taken off from Marshall Island International Airport. There were no fatalities

Source:Majuro-Amata Kabua International Airport profile

External links

• Pictures of the Airport