Samoa’s national airline, Samoa Airways, is to get two new aircraft this year.
Minister of Public Enterprises, Lautafi Fio Purcell, told the Samoa Observer the airline’s new Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft is scheduled to arrive in the country next month.
He made the announcement before the fatal crash of a Boeing 737 Max 9 plane belonging to Ethiopio Airlines over the weekend.
The Boeing 737 Max 9 for Samoa Airways carries 189 passengers, including 16 in business class.
This will replace the Boeing 737-800 that is currently leased from Italia Airlines.
It is planned to arrive in Apia the first week of April and is scheduled to operate its first flight from Samoa to Auckland, New Zealand on April 15 if everything goes well.
The aircraft is leased from Air Lease Corporation (A.L.C.) in the United States.
Representatives from the company were recently in Samoa to officially sign an agreement with the Samoa Government to lease the aircraft.
The plane is being painted and will have the Pacific Games logo on it .
The second new aircraft is expected to arrive in August this year and like the current leased Boeing 737-800 has a seating capacity of 172 including eight in business class.
It’s being leased from Fiji Airways.
The Minister revealed that Samoa Airways is exploring new destinations such Melbourne, Wellington and Tonga when the new aircraft are added.
And they will be fully crewed by Samoans – from the pilot to co-pilot and crew members.
