Samoa’s privately onwed airline, Talofa Airways, says it is starting to lay-off staff and reduce working hours as the effects of travel restrictions to combat COVID-19 start to threaten its ability to operate.
Talofa’s daily flights between the two Samoas have been reduced to just four flights a day and its weekly flight to Tonga has been suspended until further notice.
A ban on all charter flights under American Samoa’s travel advisory for COVID -19 us a futher nail in the coffin for the airline.
Company spokesperson Taua Fatu Tielu was quoted by the Samoa Observer saying the impact of the restrictions is substantial on their operations.
“We had to make requests to waive payments for our accounts for another four to five months payments for loans at the banks, the airport for landing fees and other expenses, N.P.F., taxes and other fees,” he said.
The airline has requested economic relief from the Samoa government and hopse they can get assistance soon.
“It’s been really tough and we had to reduce our staff and reduced working hours for others. Our bookings have dropped to over 50 per cent and sometimes that number has reached 90 per cent,” he said.
He said they’re struggling daily in the hope that COVID-19 “will just go away sooner rather than later”.
