Douglas–Charles Airport


Douglas–Charles Airport, formerly known as Melville Hall Airport, is an airport located on the northeast coast of Dominica, northwest of Marigot. It is about one hour away from the second largest city Portsmouth. It is one of only two airports in the island nation of Dominica, the other being Canefield Airport located three miles northeast of Roseau.

History

The Melville Hall area was chosen as the site for Dominica's main airport in 1944, for it was the only place on the island with extensive flat land. It was only after the completion of the Transinsular Road from Belles to Marigot, in 1958, that work on the airport began. The facility opened on 22 November 1961, and was first served by Dakotas from BWIA.
In 2006 an airport expansion and upgrade program began which entailed the expansion of the terminal building to include a new departure lounge, customs and immigration section and check in area. The runway and apron were also extended and new night landing and navigational aids were installed. These enhancements had an extended completion date of mid-2010.
The first-ever night landing was conducted on 9 August 2010 by Winair. Regular night landings at the airport began on 20 September 2010; the first flight, from LIAT, flew from V.C. Bird International Airport in Antigua.
The airport was renamed from Melville Hall Airport to Douglas–Charles Airport on 27 October 2014 in honour of Prime Ministers Rosie Douglas and Pierre Charles.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Cargo

Incidents and accidents

The airport houses the Dominica Outstation of the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority.