More than 120,000 people have passed through Faleolo International Airport since borders opened in August 2022 according Samoa Airport Authority’s Chief Executive Silimanaia Ueta Jr. Solomona.
The airport has come alive with 21 flights a week reports Savali newspaper.
Since late November 2022, Air New Zealand has maintained 12 weekly flights from Auckland utilizing a mix of Boeing 787 and Airbus 321.
Fiji Airways has 7 flights a week return to Nadi and 1 service to Honolulu on their Boeing 737 Max aircraft.
Qantas currently operates twice weekly flights to Australia.
Silimanai said the flights account for 25 per cent of aircraft movement at Faleolo.
He added that two per cent are private and charter services.
The bulk of 73 per cent of the airport movements’ day in and day out is to cater for the inter-island Samoa route serviced by Samoa Airways and Talofa Airways.
Negotiations are continuing with Virgin Air on their return although the Australia-based airline has indicated March as the target date to pre-launch their partnership with Samoa.
Photo Savali newspaper