The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved Samoa Airways’ application to continue flights between Tutuila and Manu’a for another 6 months, under exemption from the cabotage rule.
Under the cabotage rule, a foreign carrier cannot operate direct flights between two U.S. points.
USDOT said it found that the absence of U.S. carrier passenger service continues to constitute an emergency created by unusual circumstances not arising in the normal course of business. “We concluded that no U.S. carrier had aircraft available that could be used to conduct the operations at issue here,” said the USDOT ruling. “We also found that grant of this authority would prevent unreasonable hardship to the residents of American Samoa. Finally, we found that the applicant was qualified to perform its proposed operations.”
Therefore, USDOT granted Samoa Airways’ request to operate its proposed intra-American Samoa services, using its 19-seat Twin Otter aircraft, for an additional period of 180 days, that is, July 6, 2026, through January 1, 2027—or until five days after a U.S. carrier initiates intra-American Samoa passenger operations, whichever occurs first.
Samoa Airways stated in its application that the American Samoa Government supports its request to prevent American Samoa residents from being left without air service on the route.
