The last Hawaiian Airlines flight to the territory before the airline suspended service upon Governor Lolo Moliga’s request to help protect the territory from COVID-19, was on March 27. The 30-day suspension will be up at the end of this month.
Governor Lolo is giving the Coronavirus Task Force and Working Group until Monday to come up with recommendations on what would happen next, after the current amended declaration for coronavirus expires April 17.
One of the issues he wants them to review is Hawaiian Airlines flights.
HA Vice President for Corporate Affairs Ann Botticelli said in response to questions from KHJ News that they are accepting reservations for flights to/from Pago Pago with a planned start up date of April 30.
She pointed out, however, that Hawaiian is taking its direction from Governor Lolo who “is acting out of concern for the safety of the people of American Samoa and we respect that.”
According to the airline executive their office in Pago Pago is open to assist any travelers with future bookings.
Passengers who had originally planned to fly between American Samoa and Honolulu on April 2, 9, 16 and 23 and were impacted by the 30-day suspension have been moved to flights on April 30 or later.
Botticelli added there is still room to accommodate passengers on the April 30 flight.
Hawaiian Airlines has scheduled a third weekly flight for the summer from May 27 to September 2. Botticelli noted that “everything is fluid in this environment and should the airline need to adjust this schedule, it will re-accommodate any guests who are booked.”
When asked about the impact of the suspension of HA service on local employees Botticelli said, “We are doing all we can system wide to take care of our employees at this time.”
