Samoa Airways

Samoa Airways earlier this year was granted an exemption by the U.S Department of Transportation to operate Manu’a flights for 180 days, while deferring the remainder of its 12 month exemption request.

The airline’s latest request, through its Washington D.C. attorneys, seeks exemption for cabotage operations through 11 Feb, 2020, according to Samoa Airways’ request which also states that its service is supported by ASG.

Both Fiji Airways and Samoa Airways hired versions of the Boeing 737 MAX, which were grounded in March after two fatal crashes.

The plane's manufacturer, Boeing, this month acknowledged a new software issue with the MAX, but would not say how or if it would affect the plane.

Samoa Airways said it was monitoring developments with the MAX, and that it was finalising options to replace the 737-800 it had leased.

Fiji Airways said it had been in regular contact with Boeing and that it had confidence in the manufacturer to fix the problems.

The walk-in sales office is situated within the Samoa Consulate at Suite 1, Ground Floor 45–47 Scott Street, Liverpool and operates Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm.

According to CEO Tupuivao Seiuli Alvin Tuala ‘the Liverpool office is part of our strategic development plan and the outlet will allow us to more effectively engage with our customer-base in a region that is growing rapidly and is easily accessible for our community’.

The UTOS Independence Draw will see the awarding of 2 x Apia - Sydney return tickets and 2 x Apia - Auckland or vice-versa return tickets on Samoa’s national carrier.

The Unit Trust of Samoa was set up in 2010 to provide the people of Samoa the opportunity to invest in a diversified portfolio of assets. 

The entire fleet of Boeing Max jets has been grounded world-wide after two of the planes crashed in separate incidents earlier this year.

There's no indication of when the fleet will be allowed to fly again, as Boeing waits for regulators to approve new flight control software.

Samoa's public enterprises minister said the small national carrier is looking to hire a Boeing 737-800 from a US company, or to extend the lease on the 737 it's currently operating.

The airline was re-launched in 2017 after starting life as Polynesian Airlines in 1959.

The former chair, Fe'esago George Fepulea'i, resigned last week raising questions about the future of the enterprise.

But the 82-year-old said it was right time for him to step aside.

  The airline said the Boeing 737-800NG aircraft has been leased from Malindo Air which is owned by the Indonesian Lion Air Group and based in Malaysia.

It has now gained regulatory approvals from the civil aviation authorities in Australia, New Zealand, Samoa and Malaysia.

Samoa Airways CEO, Tupuivao Seiuli Alvin Tuala, said he was delighted to resume international jet services between Samoa, New Zealand and Australia.

Several flights have been cancelled this week and passengers re-routed after the lease expired on a Boeing 737-800 aircraft at the end of March.

The airline said efforts to secure a suitable replacement aircraft started as a result of the global grounding of MAX 8 aircraft in the first half of March, triggered by the air crash in Ethiopia.

It said there is a huge shortage of narrow-body aircraft as airlines scramble to consolidate their schedules using existing fleets and short-term leases.

The aircraft teams in Samoa, New Zealand and Australia have been communicating with customers, whose contact details were provided when their reservations were made, to personally advise them about the situation and provide alternative flight options. 

The teams have processed customers’ selected flight options at cost to Samoa Airways and rerouted them accordingly. In cases involving bookings processed through Travel Agents, our staff have liaised directly with Agents to assist our mutual customers.   

The minister in charge of the airline, Lautafi Selafi Purcell told Talamua that they are speeding up negotiations so that when the replacement aircraft from Malaysia arrives Thursday this week, it will be able to fly to New Zealand.

“The contract with the Italian company that the Samoa Airways leased the Max 8 aircraft ended and it flew back to Italy as we could not continue our lease,” said Mr Purcell.