It’s been revealed that Samoa Airways has secured the lease of a new Boeing 737-800 aircraft which is due to arrive in August.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Fonotoe Lauofo Pierre Meredith made the revelation in Parliament during his speech on the 2020/21 budget debate.
He praised the Minister, Board and management of the national airline for acquiring the plane which he said has been leased “from a company in Norway”.
He told Parliament that the plane is being leased to Samoa Airways for less than $US300,000 which he said is a good deal as the plane is only 5 years old.
The former Minister of Finance also revealed that the airline has a debt of $64million tala and is also planning to loan an adddiionnal $30million tala from the Unit Trust of Samoa to help with its operations.
He said he had been an advocate of restarting the airline and he still continues to support it as a good development for the country.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said on national Radio 2AP last week that a plane had been secured for the airline and that “it was being painted”.
He said he told the painters to paint it slowly so that by the time it arrives the borders will be open again and it will have people to carry.
The airline has been on the lookout for a new aircraft to replace the plane it leased from a Singapore based Malaysian Airline which was returned at the same time borders were closed over COVID-19 pandemic.
