Honiara International Airport (IATA: HIR, ICAO: AGGH), formerly known as Henderson Field, is an airport in the province of Guadalcanal in the nation of Solomon Islands. It is the primary international airport in the country, the second being Munda Airport in Western Province, which serves as its alternate. It is located 8 kilometres (5 miles) from the capital, Honiara.
Finishing and repairing the field became the main project of the Seabees of Naval Construction Battalion 6.[citation needed] Control of the airstrip was the focus of months of fighting in the Battle for Henderson Field during the Guadalcanal campaign of World War II and the Seabees ensured that the airstrip remained operational throughout the battle.
The field was abandoned after the war, but reopened in 1969 as an international civilian airport. The airport routinely accommodates the Airbus A320.[citation needed]
A magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck 57 km southwest of Honiara on 22 November 2022.[2] The ceiling of the terminal was damaged but the structure remained intact. The affected areas were closed for repairs.[3]
