Martha Taumata Faavae
Chartered flights flying in half full is becoming costly enough for NEOC to warn that it will not hesitate to advice Government to discontinue the service for stranded Samoans.
NEOC Chairman Agafili Shem Leo made the statement in a press conference last week.
He pointed out that the flights were only 50% to 60 % full. Chartered flights carry up to 300 passengers but last December there were 165 passengers, January 256 , and the flight on the 12th of February there were 161.
Agafili said last minute change in plans was the reason given by people who asked for a seat who ended up not coming when they were contacted.
“ This is very disappointing,” Agafili said. “ They said they did not want to come home at that time because they had other plans.”
The NEOC chairman pointed out the borders are closed but the purpose of the flights is to give Samoan citizens residing overseas the opportunity to return home.
“ It’s a must for them anyway to return home.”
Agafili said that this assistance has been given but NEOC is willing to advise the government to stop the repatriation flights if the flights are going to be only 50% full.
He also pointed out that many of the stranded travellers are on visitor’s visa that have been extended but the patience of the countries are running thin.
The flight planned for March has been cancelled and the April flight scheduled for the 17th April is postponed to the last week of the month.
These changes have been made Agafili said as a result of the whole country being vaccinated during that period.
It was also announced by NEOC that a flight from the US will be arriving on March 1st at night from Fiji .
A total of 50 passengers will be on that flight and many of them are patients who were in Hawaii for treatment while others were on church missionary service.
That’s absurd. Agafili, the problem lays with you and your office. There are so many stranded passengers requesting to be on those flights but the reservations are being offered to who you know. It’s so unorganized that is shameful and disappointing to hear you blame the people. Pe a ga ku’u Le kou fai mea piopio ae avaku kagaka Samoa ua leva ga fia o aku. Who are you blaming? If anything, whoever those people are probably couldn’t afford your inflated prices and last minute confirmations. How do you expect people to come up with those ridiculous fares when they are stranded here? They aren’t able to work. And the government isn’t helping. To call these flights chartered/ repatriation flights is a joke. Repatriation flights are supposed to be paid by the government or at least offer to pay some amount. Repatriation flights and so call chartered flights are coordinated flights to get people from point A to point B. When people pay for their own fares and the Samoan government use up all the COVID funds from other foreign countries, those are not chartered flights. That manipulation works on uneducated idiots. Ua kukusa uma lava oukou ma Le palemia.