Fua'amotu International Airport lies in the tropics at 21.24° S, 175.15° W, on Pacific/Tongatapu time (UTC+13). Tropical airports contend with heat and humidity, both of which thin the air and lengthen takeoff runs, and with convective storms that build fast in the afternoon.
Fua'amotu International Airport has 2 runways. The longest, 11/29, measures 8,795 ft by 147 ft, which puts the field in the widebody capable category: twin-aisle aircraft can use it, and narrowbodies have length to spare. Surfaces vary across the field (asphalt, grass). 1 of the 2 carry runway lighting.
Runway 11/29 is aligned roughly south-east/north-west, which is the clearest hint you get about the prevailing wind here: runways are built to face the wind that blows most often, because aircraft take off and land into it. With 2 runways across 2 different headings, crews can pick whichever best suits the wind.
The runways are not interchangeable. 17/35 is 4,951 ft against 11/29's 8,795 ft, a difference of 3,844 ft, so the shorter one generally takes regional traffic while the longer handles anything heavy.