By Staff Writer
Virgin Australia starts flying out of Samoa tomorrow, Wednesday 22 March 2023, at the start of regular scheduled 3-direct flights a week to Australia.
The carrier has lined up 2-flights a week from Apia to Sydney and one to Brisbane on a 737 aircraft with a passenger load of more than 160 seats.
Reduced airfares are already on sale in Australia at AUD$546 or just over ST$1,000 under current exchange rates for return travel from its selected destinations in Australia.
Virgin Australia joins Air New Zealand and Fiji Airways already flying the local routes in the controversial absence of the national carrier Samoa Airways since it was removed from service under the FAST-Government.
Political debate remains over the removal of the national airline services with Government claiming it was operating at a loss while under the previous administration of former Prime Minister and opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.
The former leader has maintained, however, that debts incurred by Samoa Airways are more than offset by national revenues from the tourism sector and other more wider benefits on the local economy.
Tuilaepa argued that cheaper fares make it easier for the Samoan diaspora to make regular visits to families at home.
Virgin Australia is no stranger to the Samoan international travel routes where it first started operating close to 20 years ago as Polynesian Blue.
The airline operated under a joint venture shareholding between Samoa (49%) Virgin Australia Holdings (49%) and Grey Investment Group (2%).
The join venture ended after 2-years towards the end of 2017 when then PM Tuilaepa “wrote to the parent company advising” of Samoa’s intentions to withdraw, unhappy with not “enough benefits” for Samoan travellers from the venture.
Polynesian Airlines was rebranded Samoa Airways as the national carrier operating a leased aircraft to cover the routes until the new FAST Government decision to close down.
The revival of Virgin Australia to again fly to Samoa is a direct option taken by the new Government to attract other international carriers to service the route while it concentrates on paying off Samoa Airways debts.
The Australian based airline now joins Air New Zealand and Fiji Airways as regular carriers landing in Samoa.
Government is pinning hopes for cheaper airfares by creating competition from more outside carriers serving the route.
The opposition leader is not convinced based on the Polynesian Blue experience and is worried of outside carriers setting higher airfares for their own benefit.
When Samoa Airways was in operation, Government was able to regulate competitive travel rates through airfares charged by the national carrier.