Samoan PM presses ahead with long-haul airline revival plan

By Andrew Curran.

The Government of Samoa is persisting in its quixotic quest to relaunch Samoa Airways as a fully-fledged international carrier, despite warnings that doing so could prove a financial disaster.

In a June 16 media release, the government described the relaunch as an “important long-term project for our country's connectivity, economy and national pride.”

However, both the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have sounded the alarm about the project, with the ADB warning it would be “financially devastating”, according to the Samoa Observer.

Late last year, Aero South Pacific reported that Samoa Prime Minister Laauli Leuatea Schmidt wanted to launch another home-grown international airline despite the failure of previous government-backed international carriers.

Today, state-owned Samoa Airways operates a trio of Twin Otters between Apia (APW) and Pago Pago (PPG) in neighbouring American Samoa, as well as some inter-island flights within American Samoa.

Samoa Airways axed its flights to Australia and New Zealand at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before that, when it traded as Polynesian Airlines, the carrier flew as far afield as the United States.

However, those services proved consistently unprofitable and Samoa Airways accrued millions of dollars of debt.

Samoan PM thinks, this time, a local long-haul airline will work

Earlier this decade, the Samoan Government, then under different leadership, said it would never back another long-haul carrier. But Schmidt, who became prime minister in September 2025, wants to try again.

Earlier this week, Aero South Pacific’s news briefs noted that investors were not rushing to support Schmidt’s plan, with just WST459,000 (USD170,350) raised through a special investment fund. Nearly 77% of that amount came from local investors rather than the overseas Samoan community the proposed airline is targeting.

However, the government says the fundraising through the United Trust of Samoa (UTOS) fund represents just one part of a broader, multifaceted funding strategy that is still being developed.

“Over recent months, a Working Group comprised of the UTOS, Samoa Airways, Ministry of Finance, Attorney General’s Office, Ministry of Public Enterprise and a range of technical and industry advisors have been engaged in detailed planning discussions covering every aspect of this initiative,” yesterday’s statement said.

“Discussions on fleet and route options remain ongoing as part of normal due diligence, and recent engagement with international aviation industry experts forms part of this same process of ensuring Samoa’s plan is realistic, sustainable and well informed.”

The government also said that it would have preferred details of these discussions had not been leaked to local media outlets, but acknowledged the high level of public interest in the proposal.

“The Government will continue to provide updates as this initiative progresses,” the statement added.

Government plan faces criticism

Aside from concerns about Samoa’s poor track record with state-owned long-haul airlines, some locals have joined foreign financiers in criticising the plan, asking why the business case has not been made public and why Samoans cannot continue to rely on the existing airlines that link the country with the wider world.

Four foreign airlines currently fly to Apia, including Air New Zealand, Fiji Airways, Virgin Australia and Qantas.

Schmidt has said he wants to acquire a couple of smaller jets to serve regional destinations such as Fiji, Tonga, Tahiti and the Cook Islands.

With half an eye on the historical track record, the government says it is aware of the scale of the undertaking but remains determined “to get this right for the people of Samoa.”

Photo: AI-Generated.

Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com