Western Samoan PM plans new international airline in 2026

By Andrew Curran.

Western Samoa Prime Minister, Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt, wants to launch another homegrown international airline next year, despite previous long-haul operations by state-owned carriers proving financial disasters.

Speaking at a December 12, 2025, press conference reported by the Samoa Observer, the PM said detailed plans would be released during the national budget announcement in June 2026. However, he wanted to see the airline established by the end of that year.

“We are ready to do it again,” Laaulialemalietoa said.

The existing state-owned airline, Samoa Airways, operates three DHC-6-300 Twin Otters between Apia and Pago Pago in neighbouring American Samoa. It also operates some scheduled inter-island routes within American Samoa under a US Department of Transportation 49 U.S.C. (United States Code) exemption.

Aside from that link, Western Samoa depends entirely on foreign operators to provide air links in and out of the country. The four foreign airlines flying to Apia’s Faleolo International (APW) are Air New Zealand, Fiji Airways, Virgin Australia, and Qantas.

Laaulialemalietoa, who was elected prime minister in September, wants a Western Samoa airline to service regional routes such as Fiji, Tonga, Tahiti and the Cook Islands. He says the airline, whether Samoa Airways, or a separate start-up, will use “smaller aircraft.”

A history of losses on international routes

Samoa Airways axed its flights to Australia and New Zealand at the start of Covid-19. Before that, the airline flew as far afield as the United States, albeit when known as Polynesian Airlines. Over the years, it has operated several narrow-body Boeings, each usually for short periods, and rarely more than one at the same time.

When Covid-19 started and borders closed, the government abruptly returned a wet-leased B737-800 it had used to support its Australian and New Zealand flights and cancelled an order for a B737-9.

By this point, Samoa Airways had accrued significant losses, and accumulated millions in debt. The debt was further exacerbated by lease break fees. Adding to the financial morass, a 2021 legal opinion indicated the airline was insolvent and trading illegally.

During this time, Samoa Airwats relied heavily on government support, including loan write-offs and direct funding to manage debts. 

However, things have improved in more recently.

In August, Aero South Pacific reported that Samoa Airways had declared a provisional after tax profit of WST11 million (USD4 million) for the 12 months to June 30, 2025, after benefitting from debt write offs and other forms of assistance.

As a result, interim Samoa Airways CEO Fauo Taua Fatu Tielu said the airline’s equity stood at minus WST54 million (USD19.6 million) in June 2022 but was WST33 million (USD12 million) in June 2025 – a WST87 million (USD31.6 million) improvement

Last week, Laaulialemalietoa said the government has cleared WST100 million (USD36.3 million) in debts from Samoa Airways’ pre-Covid and Covid era.

The PM also said Western Samoans would be “invited to invest” in the new airline, with shareholding opportunities starting from WST500 (USD181) through approved subscription pathways.

This follows a similar model used by French Polynesian cargo start-up, Motu Link Airline, earlier this year.

Samoa Airways applies to keep operating American Samoa inter-island flights

Meanwhile, Samoa Airways has applied to the US Department of Transportation to extend an exemption that allows it to continue operating within American Samoa.

Polynesian Limited, doing business as Samoa Airways, requested the one-year extension on December 10, 2025. US regulations bar foreign operators from operating what are effectively US domestic flights. But 49 U.S.C. 40109(g) allows for an exemption if no US carrier provides the service.

In the absence of any American Samoa-based operator or any other US operator prepared to operate the American Samoa inter-island flights, Samoa Airways has flown the flights with American Samoa since 2019, and regularly requests exemption extensions.

“No US carrier is available 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,” the filing reads. “During the May-November 2025 period, Samoa Airways operated 320 scheduled flights transporting 3,557 passengers and hundreds of pounds of cargo, in addition to five medical evacuations.”

The current exemption expires on January 6, 2026.

You can read the US Department of Transportation filing here.

Photo: AI-Generated.

Contact the writer: andrew@aerosouthpacific.com