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Bora Bora Airport

Coordinates: 16°26′37″S 151°45′09″W / 16.44361°S 151.75250°W / -16.44361; -151.75250
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Bora Bora Airport

Aéroport de Bora Bora
View of Bora Bora Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorSETIL - Aéroports
ServesBora Bora, French Polynesia, France
LocationMotu Mute
Elevation AMSL11 ft / 3 m
Coordinates16°26′37″S 151°45′09″W / 16.44361°S 151.75250°W / -16.44361; -151.75250
Map
BOB is located in French Polynesia
BOB
BOB
Location of the airport in French Polynesia
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
11/29 1,505 4,938 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Passengers384,564
Passenger traffic changeIncrease 19.8%
Aircraft movements10,710
Aircraft movements changeIncrease 34.3%
Data: French AIP,[1] Aeroport.fr[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. 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

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Entrance
AirlinesDestinations
Air Moana[4] Moorea, Papeete, Rangiroa[5]
Air Tahiti Huahine-Fare, Manihi, Maupiti, Moorea, Papeete, Raiatea, Rangiroa,[6] Tikehau[7]

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.[8]

Statistics

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Annual passenger traffic at BOB airport. See Wikidata query.

Historical airline service

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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 Aériens Intercontinentaux (TAI) with Douglas DC-7C propliner service direct to Los Angeles (LAX) via a stop in Honolulu (HNL) and also direct to Nouméa via a stop in Nandi (NAN, now Nadi) with both flights operating once a week.[9] 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.[10]

RAI was then renamed Air Polynésie 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.[11] Air Polynésie also served Bora Bora with de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter commuter turboprops.[12] Air Polynésie 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

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  1. ^ a b NTTB – Bora Bora Motu Mute. AIP from French Service d'information aéronautique, effective 8 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Résultats d'activité des aéroports français 2018" (PDF). aeroport.fr. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  3. ^ Bora Bora Airport at SETIL Aéroports Archived August 31, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Air Moana Moves Marquesas Service Launch to late-March 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 13 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Air Moana Adds One-Way Bora Bora – Rangiroa Service From April 2024". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Air Tahiti Resumes Two-way Bora Bora – Rangiroa Flights From July 2023". AeroRoutes. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Download forecast schedule - Official website - Air Tahiti".
  8. ^ http://www.airliners.net, photos of aircraft at the Bora Bora Airport in French Polynesia
  9. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, August 15, 1960 Air France system timetable, TAI flight schedules for French Polynesia
  10. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, April 1, 1963 Transports Aériens Intercontinentaux (TAI) system timetable.
  11. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, Sept. 30, 1970 & June 1, 1974 Air Polynesie system timetables
  12. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, July 1, 1978 Air Polynésie system timetable
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