Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean has raised several concerns with Hawaiian Air’s service to American Samoa in a letter to the airline CEO and President, Mr. Peter Ingram.
In his August 19 letter, Tuaolo said, on his return flight to American Samoa this past July 4, he entered the Plumeria Lounge but was turned away by staff saying the Plumeria Lounge was for other international travelers.
The Senate leader said that flights to and from American Samoa are deemed international flights and the Plumeria Lounge is for international Business Class guests. In the past, American Samoa Business Class travelers could use the Plumeria Lounge when transiting through Hawaii; but he was directed to use the downstairs lounge.
“I felt discriminated against and I strongly suggest that the Plumeria Lounge be made available, as before, to American Samoa First Class and Pualani Platinum passengers transiting through Hawaii,” Tuaolo urged.
The Senate President also took issue with the handling of luggage for American Samoa travelers transiting through Hawaii and connecting to other airlines.
He said, in the past, airline agents would be present right after the Customs Border Protection checkpoint to retake custody of passengers’ bags, ensuring they reached their final destination. However, current practice requires travelers from American Samoa to pick up their check though bags upon arrival in Honolulu and cart them to another terminal to re-check them.
Tuaolo said the process is extremely inconvenient, especially for older travelers or those with young children, who may struggle with unloading bags before customs, navigating to another terminal and going through TSA again to reach their departure gate.
He said because Hawaiian Air issued the ticket and accepted travelers’ bags as checked though to other destinations, “I suggest Hawaiian Air return to the previous practice of having an airline agent present after the CBP checkpoint to forward our bags to the connecting flights.”
Another point that Tuaolo raised with the Hawaiian Air President and CEO, was the airline’s flight schedule on the Honolulu Pago Pago route.
He said the current 2 to 3 flights a week results in higher demand for seats and when demand exceeds supply, the cost of airfares goes up. He made the point that American Samoa travelers pay a premium to travel on Hawaiian Air even in coach seats. Meanwhile, travelers from Hawaii going to Australia or New Zealand pay almost the same airfares we do despite those routes being twice the distance.
Also airfares from Hawaii to the west coast, which are about the same distance from American Samoa to Hawaii, are cheaper than flights from American Samoa to Hawaii. Tuaolo suggested that a simple solution is to add another weekly flight. “This would then meet demand and bring down Hawaiian Air costs while still being able to make a profit,” he wrote.
He added that it was adding insult to injury that while Hawaiian Air airfares to American Samoa are much higher than any route of similar distance, the airline is no longer paying local travel agencies commission. This adds another cost of travel when a service fee is charged by travel agencies to the traveler.
Tuaolo asked, “Is this practice borderline anti-trust?”
Tuaolo has asked Mr. Ingram to advise when he can discuss these concerns with him and the Senate.
