The Samoa government owned Polynesian Airlines have submitted a new application seeking a federal cabotage waiver for six months to operate flights between Tutuila and the Manu’a island group in American Samoa.

Polynesian’s initial waiver application last November sought a 90-day cabotage waiver, but the U.S. Department of Transportation only granted three separate 30-day waivers, while it continues to monitor whether or not a U.S. airline will taken over the territory’s domestic route.  The most recent 30-day exemption ends Feb. 28.

But as of this week there is still no U.S. carrier, with locally-based Inter Island Airways not operating since last summer due to its only aircraft needing an engine overhaul while plans by Manu’a Air came to an end last December when ASG voided its agreement and took back the ASG plane, Segaula, which has since been leased to a new start-up locally based Tausani Airlines.

When Tausani Air will begin flights for Manu’a remains to be seen.

In its new exemption application filed Feb. 5, Polynesian requested a waiver for a period of six months beginning March 1. The airline says the 6-months request is to avoid the need to file duplicative applications.

However, the airline said it fully understands that the airline will be required to cease this service no more than five days after a U.S. carrier initiates Tutuila-Manu’a air service.

“No U.S. carrier is able to provide Pago Pago-Manu’a Islands service, nor is one likely to be in a position to provide this service in the near future,” said Polynesian adding that it remains unclear as to when Inter Island Airways will return to service.

If granted a new exemption, Polynesian says it will continue to operate “twice-daily flights” between Tutuila and Manu’a depending on the needs of island residents and shippers and aircraft availability, and will continue to operate medical evacuation and other emergency flights as needed. Additionally, flights will be operated with Polynesian’s 19-seat Twin Otter aircraft.

Polynesian says the new application is based on the request of the American Samoa Government and included a Feb. 4 letter from Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga to Robert Finmore of the USDOT’s U.S. Air Carrier and Foreign Air Carrier Licensing Division.

In his letter Lolo says the extension of the exemption facilitates the provisioning of assistance to mitigate emergency circumstances caused by the lack of service and ultimately remedy the undue hardship to those affected.