A Delta Air Lines B767 arrived just before 11 this morning to pick up missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who were serving in the territory.
The flight arrived at 10:52 am and departed Pago Pago international Airport exactly one hour later with 29 people on board.
The group had gone through immigration and TSA and were already in the departure lounge waiting when the plane landed.
KHJ News saw some of the aircraft crew on the tarmac taking photos with the mountains of Pago Pago in the background.
LDS church members who were at the airport included Elder Vince Haleck, LDS Public Affairs representative Kalili Hunt, LDS doctors and nurses now working at the LBJ Hospital, Dr and Mrs Edwards and Dr and Mrs Patch.
Sister Edwards said it was a very somber farewell for the young missionaries.
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There were plans for the Delta plane to fly from here to Tahiti to pick up missionaries there, however, Mr. Kalili Hunt said this plan was scrapped because French Polynesian regulations did not allow it.
So the plane headed directly to Hawaii to drop off the group from American Samoa.
