Samoa Airways

POLi Pay has gone live on the Samoa Airways website and is available to customers in New Zealand and Australia, who can now securely pay for their travel using online bank transfer.

Samoa Airways General Manager Commercial, Robert Rounds says that the new online payment solution was introduced to give customers more payment options and enhance their travel experience with Samoa Airways,

Lautafi Fio Purcell, the minister responsible for Samoa Airways, told parliament the airline plans to replace the current 19 seat Twin Otter with a 50 seat plane.

Lautafi said the airline would then look at new destinations in Tonga, Fiji and Tokelau.

Apia's Fagali'i airport, which could only be used by smaller aircraft, closed at the end of 2019 and now all flights to Samoa operate out of the larger Faleolo International.

Currently only Samoa Airways and privately owned Talofa Airways fly between the two Samoas.

Lolo Moliga has reportedly sent a letter to US President Donald Trump requesting a one year waiver from the cabotage rule to allow Samoa Airways to take passengers from American Samoa to Hawaii and the US mainland.

The cabotage rule currently prohibits a foreign airline from operating direct flights between two US points.

Last year, airline chief executive Tupuivao Alvin Tuala and board member Tuia Paepae Letoa discussed their plans for the US route with American Samoan officials.

CEO for Samoa Airways, Tupuivao Seiuli Alvin Tuala says all hands are on deck with staff working overtime to provide customer care, co-ordinate and communicate in real time between central operations in Samoa, New Zealand and Australia.

A charter flight has been confirmed which will fast track a return to normal services.

 In light of the current 30 day proclamation of the State of Emergency for the measles outbreak in Samoa, CEO for Samoa Airways, Tupuivao Seiuli Alvin Tuala says the airline is doing their part to contribute toward the health crisis relief effort.

 “Out of this emergency, we have seen many examples of the generosity of spirit in our people who are working tirelessly to help save lives and provide support to families and health care workers in great need.” said Tupuivao Seiuli Alvin Tuala.

The airline received a directive from the Office of the Governor in American Samoa that all visitors travelling from Samoa into American Samoa must provide proof of MMR immunisation or Immunity.

The new border control restriction came into effect on 13 November  2019 when the American Samoa Territory declared a Health Emergency signed by the Governor of American Samoa, Lolo M. Moliga.

In September, the airline signed an exclusive agreement with the recently launched premium lounge.

CEO for Samoa Airways, Seiuli Alvin Tuala says this new service will enhance their customers’ travelling experience and raise the quality of their product service out of Samoa.

“We continue to look at improving our service to our customers, and this is one way to meet that. We want to ensure our customers get a proper Samoa Airways experience whenever they choose to fly us”

According to the report by the Samoa Bureau of Statistics on International Arrival Statistics, a total of 60,985 arrivals were recorded in this second quarter and most of them were visitors ( 44,170).

Most of the people 23,063 who came to Samoa chose to travel on Samoa Airways while 19,774 flew into the country via Air New Zealand.

Others flew by Fiji Airways (6960), Virgin Australia ( 5671) and 2537 for Talofa Airways.

Since Samoa Airways was re-established almost two years ago, visitor numbers have jumped to 40K with visitor consumption growing over 100K, according to Samoa Tourism Authority Marketing Manager, Leituala Joe Chan Ting, who recognises that more collaboration between airline and STA is crucial to building on this growth.

“With the growing interest in Samoa we have been running Famils. almost twice a month” Said Leituala “Destination and airline go hand in hand when implementing marketing campaigns – it is vital to continue this going forward.”

President of the Samoa Hotel Association (SHA), Tupai Saleimoa Vaai says that a major contributing factor to the spike is due to the establishment of Samoa Airways which has boosted the industry’s destination marketing campaign efforts.

“Collectively, the marketing we have been doing has been effective but the biggest factor contributing to the breakthroughs of those marketing efforts is Samoa Airways” said Tupai

“We can only do so much destination marketing as we can but if we can’t achieve affordable flights to Samoa – those efforts goes to waste.”