Samoa Airways debt currently stands at $7 million tālā after clearing $78 million tālā in over a year. At the beginning of 2023, the airline owned $85 million tala.
Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of Samoa Airways, Fauo’o Fatu Tielu said the company is coping well.
He explained that the company is looking to seek help from the Government in paying off the $7million tālā so they can focus on their operations’ debt.
“We’re trying to see if we can seek assistance from the government again to cover that $7 million because we also have our current cost of running the operation, and we also have projects that we’re planning for, such as renewing the aircraft,” Fauo’o said.
As of March last year, Samoa Airways managed to pay $15 million tālā owed to non-government agencies anticipating they still have a long way to go with the remaining debt.
As for the money owed for the Boeing 737-800, Samoa Airways’ aircraft lease officially ceased with the settlement of a USD$4.6 million payment and the transfer of registration to an Australian airline.
Income tax valued at $2 million tālā deducted from airline staff’s payroll over the years remains outstanding, and is yet to be paid to the Ministry of Customs and Revenue.
