Samoa Air

This article is about the airline from the Independent State of Samoa. For the defunct airline from American Samoa, see Samoa Air (1987–2003).
Samoa Air
IATA
-		 ICAO
SZB		 Callsign
SAMOA
Founded 2012[1]
Hubs Faleolo International Airport
Focus cities Asau, Salelologa
Fleet size 3
Destinations 10
Company slogan Spirit of Savaii
Headquarters Apia, Samoa
Key people Chris Langton (CEO)
Website www.samoaair.ws

Samoa Air is a small airline from Samoa that operates scheduled flights between the domestic islands as well as to American Samoa. It also provides charter flights and medical transfer flights.

Incidents

On 21 June 2012, a Samoa Air aircraft almost collided with a Polynesian Airlines aircraft near Fagali'i. Both aircraft were on the same flight path.[2] Civil Aviation issued a stern warning to Samoa Air for failing to follow standard operating procedures.[3] Samoa Air's CEO, Chris Langton, disputed the outcome of the investigation.[4][5]

Pay by weight

Samoa Air gained global press coverage by becoming the first airline in the world to charge customers by body weight plus luggage.[6] [7]

The fare is calculated by multiplying a base fare (depending on the route flown) by the total weight of the passenger plus their luggage. So a passenger flying from Apia to Asau weighing 80 kg and carrying 20 kg of luggage would pay US$ 132 for the flight (100 kg x US$ 1.32 base fare[8]), while another passenger weighing 60 kg and traveling without luggage would pay US$ 79.20 (60 kg x US$ 1.32 base fare) for the same flight.

While the airline faced criticism from around the world for this policy, with some calling it a "fat tax", the airline claims that it is a fair model.[9]

Destinations

City Country IATA ICAO Airport
Asau SamoaAAUNSAUAsau Airport
Apia SamoaAPWNSFAFaleolo International Airport
Pago Pago American SamoaPPGNSTUPago Pago International Airport
Salelologa SamoaMXSNSMAMaota Airport

Fleet

Samoa Air Fleet [7]
Aircraft Total Orders Passengers
Britten-Norman Islander 2 — 9
Cessna 172 1 — 3
Total 3 —

References

  1. ↑ "New airline to service Samoa’s Savai’i". Radio New Zealand International. 30 March 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  2. ↑ Netzler, Jasmine (25 August 2012). "Near mid air collision in Samoa investigated". samoanews.com. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  3. ↑ "Samoa Air Issued Stern Warning For Near Collision". Pacific Islands Development Program. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  4. ↑ "Report “flawed and smacks of incompetence”". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  5. ↑ "Samoa Air boss says near air collision findings flawed". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  6. ↑ Haroon Siddique (2013-04-02). "Samoa Air says charging passengers by weight is 'concept of the future'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Marnie Hunter (2013-04-03). "Pay-as-you-weigh airfares the 'next step'". CNN. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
  8. ↑ "Flight Schedule". Retrieved 2013-04-09.
  9. ↑ "Samoa Air defends 'pay-as-you-weigh' pricing". Al Jazeera. 2013-04-04. Retrieved 2013-04-09.

External links