AMERICAN Samoa is hoping to convince Fiji Airways to operate into and out of Pago Pago especially since a more than three-decade-old air service agreement remains in existence between the governments of the US and Fiji that allows a designated Fijian carrier to stop in Pago Pago.
Fiji’s national airline, Fiji Airways, operates weekly flights between Nadi, Fiji and Honolulu with a stop in Apia, Samoa and this route has become popular for local residents, who do not want to take Hawaiian Airlines’ direct flight from Pago Pago to Honolulu.
The American Samoa governor, Lolo Matalasi Moliga, is hoping for Fiji Airways to extend its service to American Samoa with possible connections to the Hawaii or the US west coast in an effort to not only increase air service for the territory but also boost tourism.
In response to this, Fiji Airways general manager corporate communications, Shane Hussein, says discussions on this have not started yet.
“We’d be in a position to comment after they do,” Mr Hussein said yesterday.
Discussions regarding Fiji Airways’ service to Pago Pago go back about three years through an initiative by the American Samoa Visitors Bureau. Last year, the visitors bureau wrote to Fiji’s Ministry of Civil Aviation seeking a follow-up meeting, which was held early this year.
Representing the territory at the meeting was visitors bureau former board chairman, Roy J D Hall Jr, and executive director David Vaeafe, while Solicitor-General Sharvada Sharma and another official represented the Fijian Government.
“Fiji Airways was keen on the service to and from Pago Pago as they wanted to extend their network in the region,” said Mr Vaeafe responding to Samoa News questions.
He said after the meeting, the Fiji Government asked for a formal request from Mr Moliga regarding the air service.
Mr Moliga said there was no doubt that the status of American Samoa’s air transportation service had been articulated clearly by Mr Hall and Mr Vaeafe, “specifically the barriers stymieing our attempts to grow and develop our tourism industry on par with the growth of tourism in all Pacific Islands micro-states”.
“Lack of flight frequency and cost-prohibitive airfares reflect offshoots of the existing monopoly enjoyed by the present air carrier serving the Pago Pago-Honolulu air route,” the American Samoa governor wrote.
“This air service plight has compelled efforts to find alternative solutions to bolster our attempts to develop our tourism industry.”
According to Samoa News, Mr Moliga then requested that Fiji Airways investigate the feasibility of extending air service to American Samoa with a possible connection to Hawaii or the US west coast.
He said this would ensure direct service to Fiji and on to New Zealand, Australia, and Asian Rim countries.
“It also makes possible the alternative route from American Samoa-Fiji-Hawaii,” said Mr Moliga, who also asked Fiji Airways to assess the feasibility of having three Fiji Airways flights to American Samoa.
According to the report, Mr Moliga had tasked Mr Vaeafe and Mr Hall to provide additional information on tourism and the economic benefits to Fiji Airways for adding American Samoa to its regional destinations.
The two are also expected to collaborate with Fiji Airways during the feasibility study.
“I am guardedly optimistic and elated over the possible resolution of the hurdles pre-empting for a very long time the development of our tourism industry deemed to be the pragmatic alternative to our struggle to diversity our economy,” the governor said in the report.
He said he looked forward to entering into a partnership fashioned on their mutual desire to purse air transportation issues generating mutual benefits for both parties.
Mr Vaeafe said American Samoa seeking out Fiji Airways was also in line with the Air Transport Service agreement between the US and Fiji that allowed for a stopover in Pago Pago for flights between the US and Fiji operated by Fiji’s designated airline.
The original 13-page agreement was signed in October 1979 with amendments made in July 1996. The agreement also includes flights from Fiji via other South Pacific Islands to Pago Pago and beyond.
There is also a provision for flights from Fiji to the US territories of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Besides weekly Honolulu flights, Fiji Airways operates daily flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
The airline also flies to other South Pacific countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Tonga, Kiribati and Solomon Islands.
