The government is working to increase the length of the Nausori Airport runway with Airports Fiji Limited.

Acting Prime Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has told parliament that the Nausori Airport runway can only cater for the 737-800 aircraft which deals with direct flights to Sydney and Auckland.

He says these flights are not operating at full capacity.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the length of the runway at the moment is 1,868 metres and is 30 metres wide.

The Acting Prime Minister says the ideal runway length which a 737 aircraft needs to operate at full capacity is 2,100 metres.

He says negotiations for the leasing of land for the expansion of the runway is still ongoing.

Sayed-Khaiyum says the expansion of the runway is expected to cost about 36 million dollars.