Ads by Google Ads by Google

USDOT approves Samoa Airways Manu’a exemption

Samoa Airways logo
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — In a decision issued Jan. 30th, the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) granted a cabotage waiver requested by the Samoa government owned Polynesian Limited, dba, Samoa Airways to continue operating Manu’a flights for another 180-days — from Feb. 2nd through July 31, 2021.

“We are deferring action on the remaining portion of Samoa Airways’ application, that is, its request for authority to operate beyond July 31, 2021,” according to the USDOT decision, which notes that, “we concluded that no U.S. carrier had aircraft available that could be used to conduct the operations at issue here. We also found that granting this authority would prevent unreasonable hardship to the residents of American Samoa.”

In its application last month to USDOT, the airline said it will continue to operate three to five weekly flights between Tutuila and the Manu’a Islands depending on the needs of island residents and shippers and aircraft availability as well as medical evacuation and other emergency flights as needed.

Furthermore, additional flights will be scheduled if needed. And flights will be operated with Samoa Airways’ 19-seat Twin Otter aircraft.