DoTM July 2026

Airport: AGGH – Honiara International Airport, Soloman Islands

The ground beneath the tarmac holds significant historical weight. Originally dubbed Lunga Point, construction began in 1942 under the Imperial Japanese Navy. However, the site became the focal point of the Battle of Guadalcanal, one of the most turning points of World War II.  The US Marines seized the unfinished strip in August 1942 where the legendary Navy Seabees took over, working under constant fire to complete the airfield.  It was renamed Henderson Field in honor of Major Lofton Henderson, the first Marine aviator killed during the Battle of Midway.

Following the Allied victory, the airfield fell into a period of quiet abandonment as the jungle began to reclaim the runway. It wasn't until 1969 that the site was resurrected and modernized to serve as the nation’s civilian international gateway.  Today, the airport features a 7,218’ runway. While it routinely accommodates the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families, it has played host to heavy-duty relief aircraft during regional missions, proving that its strategic importance hasn't waned since the 1940s.