Frequent flyers on the inter-Samoa route have complained about the recent increase in airfares as a result of airport tax increases by the Samoa Government. And some of the complaints have reached the Senate.
The Chairman of the Senate Government Operations Committee, Senator Togiola Tulafono, said this week, the Fono should have an understanding about the fares being charged by the two airlines, serving the route, Samoa Airways and Talofa Airways. “We don’t have an airline, we are served by the two airlines from Samoa,” he said, “but we need to understand these fare increases,” adding that they are affecting the public.
The airfares will come under scrutiny at a hearing of the Senate Government Operations Committee at 8:30 am, Tuesday, March 10. Managers of Samoa Airways and Talofa Airways are to appear before the committee along with officials of the airport. Togiola said it’s his understanding that airport fees are also added to the airline fares so its necessary to also have officials of the airport present at the hearing.
When Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean asked him how much the airfares are Togiola said from what he was told its $US440. The airfare itself is $375 plus $65 in airport fees, he said. To which the Senate President quipped, “we’re better off traveling by boat.”
Samoa Airways said Thursday that their round trip ticket was $358. A round trip ticket on Talofa Airways cost $365.
As background, the Samoa Airport Authority increased the airport departure tax from $65 to $80 tālā and imposed a new fee called the Aerodrome Facility Charge of $100 tālā to be paid by all airline travelers departing the country. The increases which went into effect March 1 are included in the cost of airline tickets.
