Polynesian Airlines

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Polynesian Airlines
IATA
PH
ICAO
PAO
Callsign
POLYNESIAN
Founded 1959
Hubs Faleolo International Airport, Apia
Fleet size 4
Destinations 5
Company slogan Airline of Samoa
Parent company Government of Samoa
Headquarters Apia, Samoa
Key people Taua Fatu Tielu (CEO)
Website http://www.polynesianairlines.com

Polynesian Airlines is the national airline of Samoa and has its headquarters in the Samoa National Provident Fund Building in the capital, Apia.[1] It formerly flew all over the Pacific but with the establishment of Polynesian Blue by the government and Virgin Blue, Polynesian Airlines has restricted itself to shorter flights to neighbouring islands.[2] Its main base is Faleolo International Airport, Apia.[3]

Contents

[edit] Code data

[edit] History

DHC-8-100 preparing for its ferry flight to Papua New Guinea in 2007

The airline was established in 1959 and started operations in August 1959 with services between Apia and Pago Pago in American Samoa using a Percival Prince aircraft. The government of Western Samoa acquired a controlling interest in 1971. Ansett Airlines of Australia signed a five year management contract in 1982 with the government to run the airline. This was extended for a further ten years in 1987. In February 1995 a commercial alliance with Air New Zealand was signed to develop marketing, sales and operational relationships. Jet operations have been taken over by Polynesian Blue. The airline is wholly owned by the Government of Samoa. It has a 49% holding in Polynesian Blue.[3]

[edit] Destinations

The airline offers regional services from its hub in Apia to Pago Pago. Polynesian Airlines also continues to operate domestically within Samoa and on code-share to and from Nadi in Fiji.[5]

[edit] Pre-2005

Polynesian Airlines previously serviced the following international destinations: Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, Papeete in French Polynesia and Honolulu and Los Angeles in the United States on a code share basis with Air New Zealand and in its own right with leased 767s – an operation that bankrupted the airline.[5]

[edit] Fleet

The fleet consists of (at Nov 2008):[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Our Company." Polynesian Airlines. Retrieved on October 23, 2009.
  2. ^ a b Polynesian Airlines accessed 29 November 2008
  3. ^ a b "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International: p. 65. 2007-04-10. 
  4. ^ Airline Codes November 2006
  5. ^ a b Polynesian Airlines July 2007

[edit] External links