Air New Zealand is set to fly daily between Samoa and New Zealand following discussions between Samoa Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa and Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Greg Foran.
Samoa Observer reports Fiame told media in New Zealand that borders have already reopened to Samoan citizens who have secured seats on planes.
She confirmed that Air New Zealand has given the reassurance to process daily flights to Samoa when its international borders open in August.
“We have weekly passenger flights and weekly cargo flights,” said Fiame. “From the 1st August, they will progressively increase until it gets up to a daily flight by the end of the year.”
The New Zealand national carrier is currently the only commercial airline servicing the Apia to Auckland route.
The Samoan government is setting in place, plans for the main celebration of 60 years of Independence in September to coincide with the relaunch of the annual Teuila Festival; which has been in hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Fiame has already extended the Government’s invitation to the New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, to be part of the commemoration that also marks 60 years of the Treaty of Friendship between the two countries.
