Honiara International Airport Honiara International Airport Honiara International Airport , formerly known as Henderson Field, is an airport on Guadalcanal Island in the nation of Solomon Islands. It is the only international airport in the country and is located from the capital Honiara. In 1942 the airfield was under construction by the Imperial Japanese Navy when captured by American forces, who went on to complete it. 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. Henderson Field was named for Marine Major Lofton Henderson, commanding officer of
Honiara with the addition of many administrative buildings, the town began to develop and grow in population. Since the late 1990s, Honiara has suffered a turbulent history of ethnic violence and political unrest and is scarred by rioting. A coup attempt in June 2000 resulted in violent rebellions and fighting between the ethnic Malaitans of the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF) and the Guadalcanal natives of the Isatabu Freedom Movement (IFM). Although a peace agreement was made in October 2000, violence ensued in the city streets in March 2002 when two diplomats from New Zealand and numerous others were murdered. In July