There are hopes a huge airfield development in Solomon Islands will welcome international flights for the first time by April next year.
Solomon Airlines Photo: Supplied
The Munda airfield, which has been developed with tens of millions of dollars of New Zealand aid over the past seven years, is close to completion.
The airport is being developed as an emergency alternate to Honiara and to try and foster tourism in Western Province.
The New Zealand high commissioner to Solomon Islands, Don Higgins, said that over the next couple of months the focus would be on installing navigational aids and ground lighting, and ensuring fire trucks and trained crew were in place.
He said once this was done, Solomon Airlines planned to fly in.
"We anticipate, the timetable, as completing that work in around March/April 2018. Solomon Airlines is keeen to start flying international flights in there as soon as possible after that. And my understanding is those flights will be from Brisbane to Munda direct."
