Weekly flights from Australia and New Zealand to commence in June

Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa has stated that weekly flights from Australia and New Zealand will commence in June, including fortnightly flights from Fiji.

Fiame said in her announcement on Monday evening that new changes introduced under the State of Emergency Orders included the opening of national borders to everyone on the 1st of August, and the referral of airline bookings and all other related airline arrangements to airline companies and travel agents for all travels to and from Samoa beginning with the flight this Sunday on the 22nd of May.

“All booking reservations, and other airline arrangements for flights coming into and out of Samoa will be handed back to airline companies and travel agents, as have been the normal procedures before our borders were closed,” Fiame said on Monday.

“The services for registration that were done through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade have now reverted back to the airlines offices using both online and onsite services.”

She stated that the traveling public is advised to do bookings online with the relevant airline companies.

“The first step for reopening of borders began with entry allowed for all Samoans, resident in Samoa and travel on Samoan passports, Samoans that travel on foreign passports but with exemption stamps for entry as well as foreign contracted workers with the relevant work and temporary resident permits,” she said.

“In reassessing our preparations for the reopening of our borders to international travelers as initially announced, important consideration was given to our current rates of vaccinations, sector planning for the reopening of our borders especially the private and business sector, as well as the experiences of other neighbouring countries.”

She also said in her announcement on Monday that Samoa remains in an Alert level 2 for another two weeks, and curfew hours have been removed which now allow people greater mobility throughout the whole day.