The newly launched Samoa Airways hopes to secure a second Boeing aircraft by the end of the first year of operation.
This is expected to improve the airline’s capabilities to fly to other destinations such as Brisbane and Melbourne as well as Wellington and Christchurch in New Zealand.
For that to happen, your national carrier is in dire need of your patriotic support, beseeched Airlines Minister Lautafi Fio Selafi Purcell in his address to re-launch the Faleolo-Sydney direct flights which has disappeared for many years.
“Two years from now, the plan is to secure a third Boeing and in five years, your national carrier should have a fleet of five Boeing aircrafts,” said Lautafi.
“Pay no heed to the doom sayers and the false prophets. Trust me when I say that no stone was left unturned by government during its due diligence before coming to the wisest decision for Samoans to hold the fate of her own airline by becoming a governing player.”
“For the false prophets they have either refused or have deliberately turned deaf and miraculous blind to the facts glaring at them point blank. They do not hear you outcries for a consistent and dependable airline and most importantly answering your pleas for decent and affordable airfares to commute with your families back home. Samoa Airways is your airline, for Samoans and managed by Samoans with a Samoan workforce from top to bottom.”
“Now it’s a reality, you as Samoans have your own national carrier at your disposal.”
He reassured Sydney based Samoan residents that Government has learned a treasure of valuable and expensive lessons from disgusting past experiences with ANZAC and recently Virgin Australia.
“While they continue to fill their pockets with millions from your hard earned wages, Samoa has not receive a single sene in due dividends from our last joint venture in seven consecutive years except for empty promises.
“Is that justice? I ask.”
He urged Samoans to give the national carrier time to mature which would eventually address the outcries by Samoans in the United States for Samoa Airways to fly there.
Lautafi noted that Samoa has also come of age evidenced with more than five decades of independence and with that said Samoa’s has ample qualified human resources to run the airline as a successful business enterprise.
He pointed to Fiji, Vanuatu the Solomon Islands, Nauru, Tahiti which have airlines that are not only making money but contribute to the economic growth of their country.
“If they can, why can’t we?
“Their secret ingredient is universal support from their patriotic citizens worldwide.”
He also took offense with hand written boarding passing that has gone viral and has ridiculed Samoa Airways. Lautafi says it was deliberate to ridicule the airlines inaugural return to international services.
“It’s nothing new and normal in the airline industry. Even major carriers from time to time hand print their boarding passes,” he said.
As for the zero tolerance no credit policy and cash up front or no seat on the plane, Lautafi says the rule applies to all.
“From the Head of State, Council of Deputies, Prime Minister as well as Cabinet and to all, no money no travel on Samoa Airways,” he reiterated. “It’s for the greater good of Samoa Airways and your country.”
In conclusion, the Airline Minister says that past lessons have been well learned and they will not be repeated.
“We as a country must embrace what is ours, we must embrace the national carrier and support it,” he said concluding that effective immediately with the endorsement of Cabinet is the no surrender policy for Samoa Airways survival.
Photo supplied. Caption: Samoa Airways Minister Lautafi Fio Selafi Purcell