The recently appointed Air New Zealand Country Manager is keen on seizing the opportunity to develop and strengthen her customer base and relationships in Samoa.

Samantha Imo-Munif has strong Samoan links as she grew up in Auckland, New Zealand where she was born. She has been working for New Zealand's national airline for 13 years with her appointment as the Samoa Country Manager for Air New Zealand confirmed recently.

Mrs. Imo-Munif is from the villages of Falevao, Lotofaga, and Faleū Manono. She is half Samoan and Fiji-Indian. Her husband, Shelvin Iupati Imo-Munif is also of Samoan and Fiji-Indian origin and hails from the community of Vaovai Falealii. She has moved to Samoa with her two-year-old daughter.

Prior to her recent appointment, she most recently served as Air New Zealand's Senior Border Specialist, overseeing border compliance and regulatory needs.

Throughout her career, she has overseen significant stakeholder relationships with foreign governments, border patrols, and industry partners including IATA and ICAO. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked with airline leadership to resolve border and health requirements.

Emphasising the importance of taking the opportunity as a manager of Air New Zealand staff in Samoa, as well as to expand and enhance their customer base and alliances, her goal is to develop the company's operations in Samoa by offering Samoan clients Air New Zealand flights to Aotearoa and to provide them with assistance.

“Accepting this position to lead our Air New Zealand team in Samoa is an exciting opportunity," said Mrs. Imo-Munif. I’m very mindful that it is a chance to not only represent Air New Zealand in Samoa but to also build and strengthen our partnerships and customer base.

“My mission is to grow our market in Samoa, providing our Samoan customers with incredible flying experiences to Aotearoa with Air New Zealand.

“It’s a great privilege to be here in Samoa and I look forward to working closely with our partners and supporting our customers here in Samoa.”

Mrs. Imo-Munif noted that while all other costs have increased, keeping an eye on the cost and market conditions is paramount, though she is also considering lowering the airfares. 

“Across the airline, we work hard to deliver competitive fares, while covering the operating cost of the flight," she said. "Many of these costs have increased, including fuel prices, higher supplier costs, increased cost of labour, and general inflation.

 “We’re continuously monitoring our cost base and market conditions to ensure we can make our services commercially viable, while also looking at reduced fares through sales when we can offer them.”