Airports Fiji Limited (AFL) said the Nausori Airport remains an International Airport however some services cannot be provided there, reasons why many international flights have been stopped.

AFL Chairman Rick Rickman said for B737 type of aircraft to operate into Nausori, there are some issues that need to be cleared with both the airline and the Regulator (CAAFI).

These include the absence of Approach Lighting and Instrument Landing System (ILS).

Neither have been installed at Nausori although there have plans made to do so.

However, they may not need them now because of the new technology available now has created the situation whereby their requirement has been superseded.

Rickman said runway width has also been an issue but special criteria are now in place to enable this problem to be overcome.

In the case of Nausori as in the case of any other airport, a risk assessment is required to be carried out and all the identified risks have to be eliminated or mitigated.

These risks need to be looked at by all the parties involved such as the Airline, CAAFI and AFL.

From AFL's point of view, Rickman added they also need to ensure that the facilitation of passengers is well coordinated and smooth.

Aircraft landing and takeoff is the only aspect of the total operation within the passenger movement processing.

Others include border control customs and immigration, bio security, security and passenger comfort and facilitation.

The above comments also apply to any other airline that may want to operate a B737 type aircraft into Nausori airport.

It should be noted that Nausori has not had in the past and will not have in the foreseeable future sufficient international traffic to make it a commercially viable International Airport.

According to Rickman Air Pacific decided some years back to cease their operation into Nausori this may have been tempered by demand levels at that time.

Air Pacific CEO John Campbell is expected to comment later.