It makes sense to have our own airline

Dear Editor,

 

Re: Kevin article on tourism and aviation

 

We need to look at the bigger picture and long-term outcomes. Samoa needs to protect its national carrier, by having our own airline we can also control our airfares.

Too long Virgin and AirNZ have been taking advantage of Samoa and its people, you and I as Samoans will always travel back and forth but for the tourist - just too expensive to get here.

Having 3 airlines competing on one route eg AKL-APW doesn’t not necessarily mean ‘more competition’ as VA and Air NZ can go on low sales to undercut Samoa Airways then we return back to duopoly we can’t control - so whilst airfares go cheap for next months they will then skyrocket again and we again become uncompetitive against other destinations.

Samoa Airways enables us to control airfares sustainably and airfares competitive. This is not new practice and what has made other national carriers grow and flourish, encouraging tourists.

As a frequent traveller between Oz/NZ and APW I know this is the first time in years where the airfare in Dec return is less than $1500 NZD. Without Samoa Airways entering there’s no way that would of happened.

Also when people are ‘comparing’ fares, they need to take into account seasonality etc. It is unfair to expect Samoa Airways to offer a cheap airfare 365 days of the year as this does not make commercial sense. Compare ‘apples with apples’. 

This is common practice across international airlines across the globe. See and embrace the bigger picture with not just short term but long term and sustainable goals. Regards,

 

Matt

Samoa Observer

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