Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — With serious concerns over the increase in coronavirus cases in Hawaii, where its COVID-19 curve appears to be only at the beginning, Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga requested Hawaiian Airlines for an additional 30-day suspension of flights between Honolulu and Pago Pago.

The current 30-day suspension of flights runs through Apr. 27th and the governor’s new request — for additional 30-days — recommends June 1st, as a “possible date to resume flights”. Lolo’s request was sent last Wednesday to Hawaiian president and chief executive officer Peter Ingram.

Responding to Samoa News inquiries, Hawaiian vice president of corporate communication, Ann Botticelli said last Thursday morning from Honolulu that, “we did receive the letter and we will, of course, respect the Governor's wishes.”

Early last week, Hawaiian was already taking reservations for American Samoa flights starting Apr. 30th.

Botticelli said, “We will work to re-accommodate those passengers in light of this new request” from the governor.

She also said that the airline would be informing the US Transportation Department (USDOT) that “Gov. Lolo Moliga has requested a further extension and we will be honoring his request.”

In filings early this month with USDOT covering its system-wide operations, Hawaiian noted that American Samoa’s governor requested Hawaiian to suspend service temporarily to aid in the effectiveness of American Samoa’s quarantine efforts.

USDOT deemed “American Samoa as an exempt point from Hawaiian’s Service Obligation as long as the Governor’s request remains in effect,” according to the federal agency’s documents.

In his letter to Ingram, the governor expressed great appreciation to the “sacrifice Hawaiian Airlines is making because of its commitment to place lives before income.” Through Hawaiian’s kind and generous support, Lolo said American Samoa remains the only US jurisdiction with no COVID-19 case.

“We are deeply saddened by the rising number of Hawaii’s residents [who] succumbed to this deadly virus,” he wrote to Ingram.

While the territory’s “prompt implementation of containment and mitigation strategies appear to have produced positive results, the fear still remains that our situation could change instantly with one confirmed case and it will spread like wildfire as our cultural environment and way of landscape is conducive to this scenario,” the governor points out.

He acknowledged that New York state “is beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel, but the thread of a possible resurgence if we let up to or loosen social distancing protocols could create consequences far [more] severe” than the current situation.

“We are truly concerned with Hawaii’s ascending COVID-19 curve and it appears that it is only the beginning,” Lolo said.

The governor said he understands “fully the gravity of this request not only for the operational viability of Hawaiian Airlines, but also for the many American Samoan residents stuck in Hawaii and other states, along with U.S citizens waiting for the chance to leave.”

In his Apr. 16th response letter to the governor, Ingram said he’s “happy to hear that American Samoa remains free of COVID-19. I also very much respect the leadership decisions you have made to protect the health and welfare of the people of the territory” and supports the request to suspend service through May 31st.

“You have my commitment that we stand prepared to return service to Pago Pago sooner than June 1st, if you feel comfortable welcoming flights again,” Ingram wrote to Lolo.

Meanwhile, “we will keep a careful eye on our staff [in American Samoa] and make sure we do our utmost during this time to support them and their families,” he added.