Samoa Airways Moves to New Regional Terminal
Samoa Airways (OL, Apia Faleolo) has been mandated to transition its operations from the international terminal at Faleolo Airport to a newly constructed regional terminal, valued at USD9.12 million. The move, effective December 7, 2024, was imposed without the airline’s input, according to reports by the Samoa Observer.
The new terminal, situated several hundred meters from the main international facility, is designated for flights serving Pacific destinations such as American Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Tuvalu, Niue, and the Cook Islands, as well as domestic inter-island routes. Samoa Airways has noted on its website that this relocation will affect its services to and from Pago Pago.
The regional terminal represents the airport’s first significant upgrade since 2015. Despite the shift, long-haul services to Australia and New Zealand, operated by airlines like Qantas and Air New Zealand, will continue to use the international terminal.
Faleolo Airport is also served by Fiji Airways, Virgin Australia, and local operator Talofa Airways (Apia Faleolo). Air New Zealand holds the largest market share by weekly seat capacity at the airport, followed by Fiji Airways.
This move aligns Samoa Airways with other regional carriers while focusing the international terminal on higher-capacity routes to larger markets. The development is expected to streamline operations within the airport while catering specifically to regional travel demands.
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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com