Polynesian Airlines to service Vava’u from Samoa [1]
Monday, May 19, 2014 - 17:06. Updated on Monday, May 19, 2014 - 18:13.
Tonga's Deputy Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu has announced that Polynesian Airlines will begin servicing direct flights to Vava’u from Apia, Samoa, in August, following a one month delay in introducing the new service.
The Samoan state-owned Polynesian Airlines will service the Apia-Vava’u route using Twin Otter aircrafts.
Lance Polu of the Talamua media reported that Vaipulu made the statements in Apia last week, where he had a meeting with Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Maleilegaoi.
The direct flights were initially planned to start by July 4. According to the CEO of the Airlines, Taua Tielu, the schedule had to be delayed as the timing coincided with a major maintenance for the aircrafts that will take several weeks. He also said that though Polynesian Airlines has its sight on the Tongan routes but it has to service the lucrative Apia/Pango market, using the same aircrafts.
The plan is for Real Tonga Airlines to bring passengers from Tongatapu and Ha'apai to Vava'u, for Polynesian to fly to Samoa.
While in Samoa the Deputy Prime Minister also said that a team from Tonga would visit Samoa soon to discuss inter-trade between the two countries. He said that Tonga has bought a vessel that could be used for inter-island trade. He was looking at agricultural products such as watermelons that grow well in Tonga and are very popular in Samoa.
With regards to shipping, the Talamua pointed out that Samoa has its own fleet of cargo and passenger ships that provide charter services for neighbouring islands such as American Samoa, Tokelau, Cook Islands and Tonga. The Samoan government also owns half of the Pacific Forum Line which also services Tonga.