A formal welcome ceremony was held at Auckland International Airport for the official landing of Samoa Airway’s sole Boeing 737-800 on Tuesday 14th November 2017 at 11am carrying dignitaries and passengers including Samoa’s Prime Minister, Honourable Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi. The Airline has been rebranded from the state-owned Polynesian Airlines. The Airline’s sole Boeing 737-800 leased from Iceland Air will operate six flights from Apia to Auckland once a week and twice-weekly services from Sydney to Apia.

A formal welcome ceremony held at Auckland International Airport was well attended by dignitaries from Samoa which included the Minister for Samoa Airways, Hon. Lautafi Fio Selafi Purcell, the Chairman of Samoa Airways, Feesago Siaosi Fepuleai, the CEOs from the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Agafili Shem Leo, Papali’i Sonja Hunter of Samoa Tourism Authority and Seiuli Alvin Tuala, General Manager of Samoa Airways. The Associate Minister for Pacific People, Carmel Sepuloni represented the Government of New Zealand during the welcome ceremony along with the NZ High Commissioner to Samoa David Nicolson, Auckland Mayor Phil Geoff along with the CEO of Auckland Airport, Mr Adrian Little. The High Commissioner of Samoa to New Zealand, Leasi Papali’i T. Scanlan was also in attendance. At the conclusion of the official welcome ceremony, a reception was held at the Fale o Samoa of the Samoa Consulate in Mangere which was well attended by dignitaries, NZ Members of Parliament and the Samoan community where the Prime Minister of Samoa, Hon. Tuilaepa Lupesoliai Sailele Malielegaoi delivered the keynote address.