Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Due to travel demand on the Honolulu- Pago Pago route, Hawaiian Airlines is adding three extra flights — on Wednesday nights — for the month of May, and this means, the airline is starting early its busy summer travel for 2023.

In a flight notification issued Tuesday night, the local Hawaiian Airlines office announced that with “travel demand this month” the carrier is adding three Wednesday night flights on May 17, May 24 and May 31.

The flight times are the same as the airline’s current two weekly flights on Monday and Thursday nights.

“Summer 2023 schedule highlighted the beginning of the travel rush” on June 07, which “will now commence” on May 17 and ending Aug. 30,” according to the airline’s flight advisory.

Check-in counters will be open at 4p.m. until 10:15p.m and the security checkpoint from 8:30p.m to 10:30p.m on flight nights.

The Honolulu-based carrier announced in March this year the third weekly flight on Wednesdays for the busy summer travel months to begin June 07 through Aug. 30.

The busy summer travel months on the Honolulu- Pago Pago route are attributed to local residents heading to the U.S for vacation and holidays, while Samoans and others living in the U.S travel to the territory — also for vacations and to visit family.

Local students heading to colleges and universities in the U.S will also keep summer travel busy.

Hawaiian Airlines over the years has committed to a third weekly flight during the summer months, but the global COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in border closures prevented extra summer flights for Pago Pago since 2020.

Any questions contact the local Hawaiian Airlines office at 699-1875 or 699-1876 with office hours from 7a.m to 3:30p.m - Monday to Friday.

Samoa News notes that travel agents are saying the demand for first class or business class seats to and from Pago are up and comprises the heavy traffic needs the American Samoa traveler is currently insisting on having.