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Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport

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Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport (IATA: GUM, ICAO: PGUM) — also known as Guam International Airport — is an international airport located in Tamuning and Barrigada,[5] three miles (4.8 km) east of the capital city of Hagåtña (formerly Agana) in the United States territory of Guam. The airport is a primary cargo hub for Asia Pacific Airlines. It is also the home of the former Naval Air Station Agana, and is the only international airport in the territory. The airport is named after Antonio Borja Won Pat, the first delegate from Guam to the United States House of Representatives, and is operated by the A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam (GIAA, Chamorro: Aturidat Puetton Batkon Airen Guahan Entenasionat),[6] an agency of the Government of Guam.

Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorGuam International Airport Authority, Guam
ServesGuam
LocationBarrigada and Tamuning, Guam
Opened1943; 81 years ago (1943)
Hub forAsia Pacific Airlines
Elevation AMSL93 m / 305 ft
Coordinates13°29′6″N 144°47′51″E / 13.48500°N 144.79750°E / 13.48500; 144.79750
Websitewww.guamairport.com
Maps
FAA airport diagram
FAA airport diagram
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
6L/24R 3,663 12,017 Asphalt/concrete
6R/24L 3,052 10,014 Asphalt/concrete
Statistics (2022)
Aircraft operations (year ending February 28, 2022)24,804
Based aircraft (2020)42
Passengers (2018)3,800,000[1]

History

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Aerial photograph of the airport

Military use

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Main article: Naval Air Station Agana

The airport was built by the Japanese Navy about 1943, calling the military airfield Guamu Dai Ni (Guam No. 2) as part of their defense of the Marianas. After the island was recaptured by American forces in 1944, it was renamed Agana Airfield, due to the proximity of the town. After being repaired by Seabees of the 5th Construction Brigade in October 1944, the United States Army Air Forces Seventh Air Force used the airfield as a base for the 11th Bombardment Group, which flew B-24 Liberator bombers from the station until being moved to Okinawa in July 1945. With the reassignment of the heavy bombers, the 41st Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron flew long-range reconnaissance aircraft (F-5 Lightnings) from the field until January 1946.

After the war, the USAAF used the airfield for fighter defense of the Marianas (21st Fighter Group), (549th Night Fighter Squadron) until early 1947 and as a transport hub (9th Troop Carrier Squadron). In 1947, the USAAF turned over the airfield to the United States Navy, which consolidated its facilities with those at the closing Harmon Air Force Base in 1949, and operated Naval Air Station Agana until it was closed by the 1993 Base Realignment and Closure Commission.[7][8][9]

Civilian use

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Travel to Guam was restricted to military personnel with a security clearance until 1962. During these early years, a single Quonset hut served as Guam's air terminal. The lifting of this travel restriction spurred the development of the airport; its International Air Terminal opened in March 1967 and accommodated its first tour group from Japan two months later.[10] Operations of the terminal were passed onto the Government of Guam's Department of Commerce in 1969. In 1975, the Guam International Airport Authority (GIAA) was created as a separate agency. After NAS Agana was closed in April 1995, GIAA took over the entire airport's operations.[11]

A new passenger terminal building was opened in 1982, and the current, much larger terminal building was opened in phases between 1996 and 1998.[12]

After a period of seasonal charters, the first regular flight to Mainland China from Guam was established in 2014.[13] The United Airlines service to Shanghai Pudong International Airport began on October 29, 2014.[14]

Project Hulo'

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In July 2017, the A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority launched its Vision Hulo' campaign, which includes around $167 million in capital improvement projects to help boost services and operation for the airport. The projects are set to increase the airport's passenger capacity, which already annually serves 3.55 million departing and transiting passengers. The projects include the relocation of bulky baggage screenings, additional security lanes, the expansion of parking spaces, and more.

A $110 million international arrivals corridor, the largest in the project, is the airport's newest capital improvement project. The third level corridor will finally put the airport compliance with federal regulations by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration in 2005, in response to 9/11, by separating arriving international passengers with departing passenger and allowing the airport to finally remove the semi-permanent barriers and reclaim full use of the concourse.

In the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Guam, flights to and from Guam stopped, except for United Airlines, which maintained daily service to Honolulu and thrice-weekly service to Narita.[15] A year later in April 2021, limited flights were being conducted by United Airlines, Philippine Airlines and Jin Air.[16]

Customs, immigration, and security inspections

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Arrival passenger inspection is conducted by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (immigration only) and Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency. Departure security checks are conducted by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.[17]

Customs

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Because Guam is outside the United States customs jurisdiction, passengers from all arrival flights go through Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency inspection. Passengers bound for Honolulu, which is currently the only Stateside flight, go through a normal U.S. Customs and Border Protection customs inspection upon arrival.

Immigration

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The U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspects all arriving passengers from foreign points.

Passengers arriving from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, a separate U.S. immigration jurisdiction with slightly different visa requirements, are pre-inspected there for admissibility to Guam. Nonstop passengers bound for Honolulu are pre-inspected at Guam's boarding gate for admissibility to the United States because of the Guam and Northern Mariana Islands Visa Waiver Program, which allows visa-free entry to Guam for tourists from Australia, Brunei, mainland China, Hong Kong (with a Hong Kong Identity Card), Japan, Malaysia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan (with a Republic of China passport with a National ID number and a valid Republic of China national identity card), and United Kingdom (with a British Citizen passport or a British National Overseas passport).

For U.S. citizens, passports are not required to enter Guam from the Northern Mariana Islands; other forms of identification proving admissibility are accepted. Passports are required for those transiting a foreign country between the United States and Guam.

Transit passengers, except from Honolulu and the Northern Mariana Islands, are also inspected by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection before being allowed to proceed to their connecting gate. Because all onward flights depart Guam's customs jurisdiction, no baggage claim is necessary.

Security

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The Transportation Security Administration conducts security inspection for departing passengers and all transit passengers.

Transit passengers who arrive from the United States or the Northern Mariana Islands are screened by Transportation Security Administration at their origins, so they are not screened again in Guam.

Guam–Honolulu passengers who have onward connections must go through Transportation Security Administration inspection again in Honolulu because they will have come into contact with their checked baggage during U.S. customs inspection there.

Facilities

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The airport covers 1,657 acres (6.71 km2) at an elevation of 305 feet (93 m) above sea level.[2][18] It has two asphalt runways:

  • Runway 6L/24R: 12,017 x 150 ft (3,663 x 46 m.), surface: asphalt, ILS/DME equipped, with approved GPS and VOR/DME approaches
  • Runway 6R/24L: 10,014 x 150 ft (3,052 x 46 m.), surface: asphalt, ILS/DME equipped, with approved GPS approaches[2]

For the 12-month period ending February 28, 2022, the airport had 24,804 aircraft operations, an average of 68 per day: 65% general aviation, 1% air taxi, 27% commercial airline and 7% military. At that time, there were 42 aircraft based at this airport: 25 single-engine and 4 multi-engine airplanes, and 13 jets.[2]

Passenger terminal

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Semi-permanent barriers separating arrival and departure passengers
 
Ticket counters
 
United Airlines checkin
 
Food court
 
Whisky at the Lotte Duty Free shop
 
Old terminal building

The current passenger terminal's first phase was completed on September 10, 1996. The 550,000-square-foot (51,000 m2) terminal included a new customs and immigration hall and a 710 space parking lot. In August 1998, the second phase of the current passenger terminal opened.[19] The expansion program that opened the current terminal had a cost of $741 million.[12]

The terminal has three levels. The basement level houses arrival facilities, including customs and baggage claim. The basement also houses the GIAA Airport Police and GIAA Arcade offices and the Hafa Adai Gardens. The apron level (the departure level) houses the ticketing counters. The third floor houses the departure gates, immigration facilities, and GIAA administrative offices.[20] The front of the airport displays stylized latte stone motifs; the latte stone is an icon of modern CHamoru identity.[21]

Since all flights require customs or immigration inspection, the airport's post-security concourse and gate area was not designed to separate arriving and departing passengers. The only normal passenger entrance is through security and the only normal exit is through immigration. Except for the few gates designated for Honolulu arrivals, which route passengers directly to customs, all other gates do not have a separate arrival corridor. Arrival passengers walk directly into the gates' waiting area, and in the past could purchase food or merchandise before entering the immigration hall.

The original design is said to be compliant with security standards at the time of opening. However, after the September 11, 2001, attacks, the U.S. government began to require separation of uninspected arrival passengers. The airport initially used a system of chairs, moving sidewalks, retractable belts and security/police staffing to usher arriving passengers from the gate to the immigration hall without coming into physical contact with departing passengers. In recent years, semi-permanent movable walls separate much of the length of the terminal building into two halves, decreasing the need for human staffing and those lighter objects previously in use.[22]

Two lounges are available to passengers at Guam, the Sagan Bisita Lounge and the United Club.[23]

Old terminal building

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The old terminal served as the corporate headquarters of Continental Micronesia until late 2010.[24] The 220,000-square-foot (20,000 m2),[19] $43 million Commuter Terminal was dedicated on January 19, 1982.[19] At the time of opening, the Guamanian people referred to the terminal as a "white elephant," believing that the terminal was so large that it would never be fully used.[12] After the current terminal building opened, the old terminal building became the Commuter Terminal (serving Freedom Air and Pacific Island Aviation). By 2003, the Guam International Airport Authority moved commuter airlines out of the Commuter Terminal and leased the entire facility to Continental Micronesia.[25]

Other facilities

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  • Cargo facilities are located between the main terminal and the commuter terminal.[26]
  • Japan Airlines opened a flight crew training center at GUM in October 2013. JAL trains Boeing 737 and Boeing 767 pilots at the airport, including touch-and-go operations during off-peak hours.[27]
  • The airport can handle multiple larger aircraft, including the former world's largest, the Antonov An-225.
  • United Airlines opened a new City Ticket Office location on the airport grounds in 2017.[28]

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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AirlinesDestinationsRefs
China Airlines Seasonal: Taipei–Taoyuan (resumes November 27, 2024) [29]
Japan Airlines Tokyo–Narita
Jeju Air Busan, Seoul–Incheon, Tokyo–Narita [30][31]
Jin Air Busan, Seoul–Incheon
Korean Air Seoul–Incheon
Philippine Airlines Manila
Starlux Airlines Charter: Taipei–Taoyuan [32]
Star Marianas Air Rota [33]
T'way Air Seoul–Incheon [34][35]
United Airlines Chuuk, Honolulu, Koror, Kosrae, Kwajalein, Majuro, Manila, Nagoya–Centrair, Osaka–Kansai, Pohnpei, Saipan, Taipei–Taoyuan (begins April 2, 2025),[36] Tokyo–Haneda,[37] Tokyo–Narita, Yap

Cargo

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AirlinesDestinationsRefs
Asia Pacific Airlines Chuuk, Honolulu, Koror, Kosrae, Kwajalein, Majuro, Pago Pago, Pohnpei, Yap [38]
UPS Airlines Hong Kong, Honolulu

Statistics

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Top destinations

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Busiest domestic routes from GUM (October 2022 – September 2023)[4]
Rank City Passengers Top carriers
1   Honolulu, Hawaii 106,790 United
2   Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands 39,850 Southern, Star Marianas, United
3   Rota, Northern Mariana Islands 1,810 Star Marianas
Busiest international routes from GUM (October 2021 – September 2022)[39]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1   Seoul–Incheon, South Korea 115,680 Jeju Air, Jin Air, Korean Air, T'way Air
2   Manila, Philippines 110,348 Philippine Airlines, United
3   Tokyo–Narita, Japan 99,529 Japan Airlines, United
4   Busan, South Korea 29,435 Jeju Air, Jin Air
5   Koror, Palau 22,755 United

Accidents and incidents

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Several fatal accidents have occurred on and near Guam over the years. In total, 367 deaths occurred from six aircraft accidents.

  • On August 6, 1997, Korean Air Flight 801, a Boeing 747-300, crashed as it was attempting to land at the airport. Of the 254 people on board, 229 were killed.
  • On June 10, 2009, Jetstar Airways Flight 20 flying from Kansai International Airport to Gold Coast Airport experienced a small fire in the cockpit apparently caused by a fault in the heating system. The fire was quickly extinguished by the pilots who subsequently diverted the plane to Guam. All 203 people on board were unharmed in the incident. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau determined the cause of the fire to be an overheat related to the use of a polysulfide sealant in the electrical connections to the windshield.[40]

See also

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References

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  This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  1. ^ Gilbert, Haidee Eugenio (January 11, 2019). "A.B. Won Pat Guam International Airport moving forward with plans for spaceport". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for GUM PDF, effective November 9, 2017
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ a b "RITA | BTS | Transtats". Transtats.bts.gov. February 24, 2016. Archived from the original on February 28, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2017.
  5. ^ "2020 CENSUS - CENSUS BLOCK MAP: Barrigada municipality, GU" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  6. ^ "Memorandum Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine." Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport Authority. August 31, 2007. Retrieved on October 6, 2010.
  7. ^ Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
  8. ^ Pacific Wrecks. "PACIFIC WRECKS - World War II Pacific". Pacific Wrecks. Archived from the original on April 24, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  9. ^ John Pike. "Naval Air Station, Agana". Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2015.
  10. ^ "From A Hut and Seaplanes to an International Hub and Jet Planes Celebrate Airport Week 2011". A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  11. ^ "General History - Guam International Airport Authority". June 11, 2010. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  12. ^ a b c "Expansion Project History." Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport Authority. Retrieved on October 6, 2010.
  13. ^ Daleno, Gaynor Dumat-ol. "Guam has high hopes for United service to Seoul, Shanghai Archived 2014-12-16 at the Wayback Machine." USA Today. October 31, 2014. Retrieved on February 16, 2015.
  14. ^ "United Airlines inaugurates historic nonstop service between Guam and Shanghai, China" (Archive). United Airlines at Marianas Variety. October 29, 2014. Retrieved on February 16, 2015.
  15. ^ Kaur, Anumita (April 22, 2020). "Most airlines cancel through May; Congress deliberates more help for businesses, residents". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  16. ^ Kaur, Anumita (March 10, 2021). "Japan tour groups push back travel dates to Guam". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  17. ^ "Agana Field International (GUM)". Continental Airlines. 2009. Archived from the original on October 27, 2009.
  18. ^ "GUM airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. Retrieved September 28, 2022.
  19. ^ a b c "Timeline Archived 2010-08-11 at the Wayback Machine." Guam International Airport Authority. Retrieved on October 6, 2010.
  20. ^ "Terminal Layout Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine." Guam International Airport Authority. Retrieved on October 6, 2010.
  21. ^ Cunningham, Lawrence J. (December 21, 2019). "Latte Structures". Guampedia. Archived from the original on February 12, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  22. ^ Airport to build concourse isolation area beyond TSA checkpoint (Archive), Marianas Variety Guam Edition, December 27, 2013.
  23. ^ "Airport Lounges | Passenger Services | Passenger | A.B. Won Pat International Airport Authority, Guam". www.guamairport.com. Archived from the original on November 30, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  24. ^ Letter Archived March 9, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. United States Department of Transportation Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings. May 23, 1997. Retrieved on October 4, 2010. "Continental Micronesia Old Terminal Bldg. P.O. Box 8778-G Tamuning, GU 96931-8778."
  25. ^ "Fiscal Year 2003 Overview." Guam International Airport Authority at Guam Chamber of Commerce. 3/4. Retrieved on October 13, 2010. "Movement of Operations from Commuter Terminal to Main Terminal As part of our streamlining, the Authority successfully moved the Commuter Terminal operations to the Main Terminal and leased the entire former Commuter Terminal to Continental Airlines."
  26. ^ "Media Advisory Archived 2010-10-11 at the Wayback Machine." Government of Guam. December 14, 2006. Retrieved on October 13, 2010.
  27. ^ "JAL Bases Pilot Training on Guam". October 4, 2013. Archived from the original on November 24, 2013. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  28. ^ "United Airlines welcomes Guam customers to New City Ticket Office". February 13, 2017. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  29. ^ "China Airlines Resumes Taipei – Guam Service in NW24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  30. ^ "Jeju Air adds Tokyo Narita – Guam route from late-Oct 2018". routesonline. Archived from the original on August 30, 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  31. ^ "Jeju Air adds Osaka – Guam service from late-July 2018 :: Routesonline". Archived from the original on June 24, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  32. ^ "Starlux Airlines extends Guam charters to late July 2023". Aeroroutes. April 21, 2023.
  33. ^ "Star Marianas Air". Star Marianas Air. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  34. ^ "Tway". www.twayair.com. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  35. ^ "中部(名古屋) - グアム 時刻表 | FlyTeam(フライチーム)". Archived from the original on May 5, 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
  36. ^ "United Airlines to launch Taipei-Guam route in April 2025". Focus Taiwan. November 18, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  37. ^ "United Airlines gets Guam-Haneda route". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  38. ^ "Asia Pacific Airlines - Flight Schedule". www.flyapa.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2015. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  39. ^ "International_Report_Passengers". U.S. Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  40. ^ "In-flight fire - Airbus A330-202, VH-EBF, 427 km south-west of Guam, USA, 10 June 2009". Australian Transport Safety Bureau. Archived from the original on April 29, 2014. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
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