Samoa Airways

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.

The airline had been leasing an older generation 737 from Europe to perform its flights - but the lease has expired. Samoa Airways was due to lease a new 737 Max 9 in late March. However, the airline has announced it has cancelled its lease in the wake of two fatal crashes and the global grounding of the Boeing aircraft.

Samoa Airways is now scrambling to find another plane to operate its international flights.

‘The 737-800NG is the same aircraft type that our Italian operator, NEOS used for Samoa Airways flights from November 2017. It is has a proven record and is operated by many airlines around the world’, stated Samoa Airways’ CEO Tupuivao Seiuli Alvin Tuala.

The Malindo Air 737-800NG aircraft is 3 years old and features 150 Economy Class seats with personal TVs, and 12 seats in Business Class with a generous 45-inch pitch, leg-rest and adjustable footrest, an 11.1-inch touchscreen inflight entertainment monitor, as well as AC and dual USB ports.

Scheduled for delivery in late March, the aircraft, which will be delivered direct from Boeing in Seattle Washington, will replace the National Carrier’s existing 737-800.

The MOU was signed by the Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Samoa Airways Chairman Feesago Siaosi Fepuleai and ALC Executive Chairman Steven Hazy.

The airline said the unforeseen diversion took place while customers with confirmed bookings on the return flight (OL856) from Sydney to Apia were being processed through check-in and departure formalities.

Whilst flight OL855 was eventually able to operate from Canberra to Sydney Saturday night, it did so after 11:00pm local time meaning that the Sydney Airport curfew would be a factor.

According to CEO Tupuivao Seiuli Alvin Tuala, ‘demand for travel to Samoa during this time of the year is traditionally very strong and in response, the national carrier has operated a number of additional services.

Seiuli added that, ‘Christmas is about family and we are thrilled to have played a key role in uniting loved ones this Festive Season’.

An amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorisation Act of 2018, introduced by Congresswoman Aumua Amata, and signed into law last month by U.S President Donald Trump, promotes improved air service in American Samoa, by allowing foreign carriers to apply to operate domestic flights, as well as seek renewal for a cabotage waiver, for six months instead of the previous 30-days.

With the new law, Samoa Airways late last month sought continued cabotage waivers and this time, from Nov. 9, 2018 through Feb. 11, 2019.

Starting on 13 November Samoa Airways will fly to Brisbane, adding to its list of destinations which already include Auckland, Sydney, Pago Pago, Fagalii and Apia.

The new route will be launched as part of the airline’s one year anniversary after it was re-launched as Samoa Airways, one year ago.