Samoa and States of UAE sign agreement to improve air transport services

APIA, SAMOA – 07 OCTOBER 2022: Samoa has signed a bilateral Air Service Agreement with the States of the United Arab Emirates which will allow international air transport services between the two nations and to improve Samoa’s accessibility and connectivity to air transport.

Minister of Works Transport and Infrastructure, Olo Fiti Afoa Vaai signed on behalf of the Independent State of Samoa and Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the General Civil Aviation Authority signed on behalf U.A.E in Quebec City, Montreal, Canada on October 01 2022.

In the absence of a large aircraft from Samoa’s designated national carrier, this signed agreement allows Polynesian Airlines Limited, trading as ‘Samoa Airways’ to enter into a Code Share Agreement with any of the six U.A.E. designated National Carriers as States can designate their national carriers to operate flights between their respective countries.

The Minister highlighted that the agreement also opens up opportunities for Code Sharing to be extended to linkages that the U.A.E., has already established with other existing Airlines at the International level.

The Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Olo Fiti Afoa Vaai with Samoa’s delegation pictured with the UAE delegation.

The Minister initially travelled to Canada for the 41st Session of the International Civil Aviation Organization ICAO Assembly, accompanied by a delegation of five consisting of the M.W.T.I. Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.), Fui Tupai Mau Simanu, Samoa Airport Authority (S.A.A.) General Manager, Silimanai  Ueta Solomona, M.W.T.I. Civil Aviation Division Assistant C.E.O., Lauano Yvonne Tuioti-Mariner, M.W.T.I. Legal Assistant C.E.O., Kalameli Seuseu-So’o, and S.A.A. Assistant General Manager Aeronautical Services, Toilolo Tyronemoore Lam.