Airlines press FAA to keep Midway Atoll airfield as Pacific diversion option

Airlines and aviation groups want the Federal Aviation Administration to keep Midway Atoll Airport, also known as Henderson Field, open as an emergency diversion field for trans-Pacific flights. Carriers warned that losing the remote airfield would force longer routings and drive up operating costs.

The FAA opened a public comment period in July on the airport's role in Pacific aviation. The agency said the field's infrastructure is deteriorating and will need significant work within three to five years to stay operational and to keep functioning as an Extended Operations alternate.

That work is put at more than $100 million, covering runway rehabilitation and seawall repairs. Midway receives $2.5 million a year through the FAA's Airport Improvement Program, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service contributing a further $2.6 million for maintenance.

No airline operates scheduled service to Midway, but flight planners use it for trans-Pacific operations. According to the FAA, at least 11 commercial and military aircraft diverted to the field between 2003 and 2021.

Several airlines and industry bodies filed comments. United Airlines said it relies on Midway for more than 8,000 flights a year, and that losing the airport could raise diversion requirements and, in some cases, lead to longer flights and greater fuel burn. Qantas said the field matters to its operations too, and that its loss could require extra fuel and cut available payload on some services.

The Airline Dispatchers Federation also backed keeping Midway as an ETOPS alternate, pointing to the small number of suitable diversion airports across the Pacific.

The FAA's request for comments does not propose shutting the airport. The agency is seeking information on the operational and financial implications instead.