The Samoa Airways appears to show bookings have reopened despite the national airline not having a plane after ending its contract with Malindo Air earlier this month.

Samoa Observer understands people in New Zealand have successfully booked seats to Apia, and even recieved booking confirmation emails and not been told their flights are not guaranteed.

The airline has resumed taking bookings for flights to New Zealand and Australia and back from as early as May 2 with several dates already sold out. Their offices remain closed and the bookings office and head office phone lines were not answered on Thursday 23 April.

One-way Flights are priced from $582.10 to $663, and appear to be available well into June.

The Chief Executive Officer of Samoa Airways Seiuli Alvin Tuala did not respond to two emailed requests for clarification.

Minister of the Public Enterprises Lautafi Fio Purcell has been approached for comment. 

Earlier this month, Lautafi said he has entered into negotiations with Qantas in Australia and another unnamed company in Singapore about an aircraft to lease, with Qantas an interim solution to a longer-term arrangement.

He said all plans are contingent on changes to the border closure, including the airline’s ambitions plans to dominate the routes between Fiji and Hawaii from Samoa. 

Samoa's borders are currently closed and Faleolo International Airport is closed until at least the end of the state of emergency. To date that will be May 2 with no indication of whether Government will extend the state of emergency or alter it significantly from that date.

With cases of COVID-19 still active in New Zealand and Australia, it is unlikely Samoa's borders will reopen in May, nor that New Zealand and Australia will reopen their own borders.