Air New Zealand will operate a weekly flight to Samoa due to the partial opening of the country’s border and increase it to four flights a week in August.

Air New Zealand Country Manager Karen Gatt said in an emailed response to the Samoa Observer that as a result of the partial opening of Samoa’s border, the airline has increased its passenger services to Apia once a week.

She said that since they announced commercial flights to Samoa for citizens and permit holders there has been immediate interest in flights for June and July of this year.

“There has been immediate interest in these commercial flights which at the request of the Samoan Government are only available to Samoan citizens and permit holders,” Ms Gatt said.

“It’s fantastic news that Samoa is starting to open up its border.

“Flights to Apia will increase to four times a week in August when borders fully open and we’ll be ready to fly our customers to this tropical paradise. Very exciting times ahead.”

Asked about the cost of airfares for the Apia–Auckland route, Ms Gatt said the fares vary and are dependent on seat availability at the time of bookings.

Meanwhile, local travel agent Global Travel says there has been an increase in airfares for the Apia–Auckland route. 

Staff at the local travel agency confirmed getting a lot of public queries and booking reservations following Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa’s announcement early in the week that Samoa’s borders open 1 August 2022.

Jackie Fepuleai of Global Travel told the Samoa Observer confirmed the rise in public queries and reservations for travel.

“As soon as [the Government’s announcement] opened up the bookings to the travel agents, boom, [many turned out at Global Travel],” she said. 

“These are our regular clients: Samoan citizens who’ve been [longing] to travel and at least with the agents now, we can offer our service to assist travellers with their visas and other travel requirements such as the travel pass and COVID19/health-related conditions.”

Asked for the Apia–Auckland route, Ms Fepuleai said they are selling Fiji Airways seats and the prices vary depending on the date the passenger wants to travel.

An estimate of the airfare cost if a passenger is to travel from 19 May 2022 to 12 June 2022 would work out to be $1,999.10 tala return. The cheapest airfare for the same route and time period is $1,949.10 tala return.