International Routes

Samoan Airline Hopes For International Routes

By a Staff Writer

Prospects are beginning to look brighter for Western Samoa’s dynesian Airlines, which has had an uphill battle since it went to operation a few years ago.

POLYNESIAN’S only present route is between Faleolo, Western moa, and Tafuna, American Samoa, ghts have been booked almost to pacity since the beginning of the 1001 holidays in December and it hoped that with the increased iffic into American Samoa’s new jet ■port, big loadings will now con me.

Western Samoa officially does not courage tourists but sufficient of em seem to be finding their way ere to give the local airline the >ost that it needs.

Polynesian at present is using two :rcival Prince, two-engined planes at carry no more than a dozen ople. The company is now seeking large aircraft —probably a chartered C 3.

The company has already started ;gotiations with New Zealand with view to inaugurating a service to e Cook Islands which have been ithout any air service since TEAL ithdrew its flying-boats from the oral Route service to Tahiti.

In Apia, in December, one of the impany’s principals said that Poly ;sian was interested also in the rospect of inaugurating a service to onga.

It is understood that if the Cook ilands service develops it will be in lose liaison with TEAL. A New ealand civil aviation officer and an xecutive of TEAL were in Apia in lecember for top level discussions on viation. TEAL has given the smaller

airline considerable technical and other assistance in the past.

Although up until now Polynesian Airlines has been the reverse of a money-spinner for its shareholders, it is a vital link in central Pacific communications, in that the majority of passengers who leave or join the international services at Tafuna are in transit to or from Western Samoa.

It is of considerable importance to the big airlines that this feeder ser vice provided by Polynesian should not only remain in existence but ex pand its operations.

A Polynesian Air es Percival Prince, company is now king an additional jer aircraft.