Samoa Airways interim Chief Executive Officer Fauo'o Fatu Tielu has denied reports that the airline is refusing passengers taking cargo to Pago Pago in American Samoa.

In an interview with the Samoa Observer, Fauo'o explained that unless the flight has reached its weight limitation, there is a possibility that their cargo can be transported via another available flight. He says there is no new airline policy that bans passengers from taking their cargo to Pago Pago.

"There is no such policy as I'm aware of and I'm not aware of anything like that at the moment," he said. "Usually it's unless the aircraft has reached its limited weight and the passengers want their checked-in cargo to be flown over later so they choose.

"Unless some people who got there first want to take all their bags affecting other passengers who also want to take their cargo and it can happen and it has happened before.

"It all depends on the weight of the flight and if 14 passengers who booked their flights are all heavy (overweight) then their cargo cannot be taken on the flight. They will need to find another available flight to fly their cargo over."

Fauo'o was contacted for comment following a concern raised by a passenger, who spoke on condition of anonymity to this newspaper, and claimed that her cargo could not be flown to the U.S. territory as there is a ban. 

She said that when she went to the Fagalii Airport on Saturday she was told that she could not bring her cargo as it was not allowed. The normal weight a flight can carry to and from Pago Pago is 1700 to 1800 kilos per flight with 19 seats. 

However, Fauoo also clarified that there is also a chance that all 19 seats on a plane cannot be occupied – if most of the passengers are overweight. 

He said any flight to Pago Pago is obliged to have enough gas, especially in bad weather when flights can't land either at Pago Pago or Apia airports due to the severity of the weather.