With still no U.S. carrier to operate American Samoa’s domestic flights, the Samoa government owned Polynesian Airlines has filed a new application with the U.S. Department of Transportation to continue serving the Manu’a islands for another 90-days.

Polynesian’s first 90-day application was filed in August this year, but the U.S. Department of Transportation granted instead, three 30-day cabotage waiver exemptions to operate flights between Tutuila and the Manu’a islands.

(Samoa News should point out that during her visit to the territory last week, Interior Assistant Secretary for Insular Areas, Esther Kia’aina traveled to Ta’u island on a charter Polynesian flight and then by boat to Ofu to visit government facilities and meet with leaders there.)

The current exemption expires Nov. 30 and yesterday Polynesian requested a new exemption which will permit the airline “to continue to transport persons, property and mail” between Tutuila and Manu’a “ for a period of ninety days beginning December 1, 2014”.

The airline says it’s requesting a wavier for 90-days to avoid the need to file duplicate applications with the Department. Polynesian also says that it understands that any authority granted will be subject to further review by the USDOT in the event a U.S. carrier resumes full passenger and/or cargo service for Manu’a.

Polynesian noted that it is still the only carrier able to transport passengers and cargo between Pago Pago and the Manu’a Islands. Additionally, ASG has requested that Polynesian continue to provide emergency service to Manu’a, Dec. 1 “to prevent American Samoan residents from being left without air service.”

“Polynesian has agreed to the American Samoan Government’s request, and is prepared to continue operations,” the airline said, adding that no U.S. carrier is able to provide Pago Pago-Manu’a Islands service, nor is one likely to be in a position to provide this service in the near future.

Polynesian also says that the locally based U.S. carrier, Inter Island Airways’ aircraft is still down and it’s unclear when the plane will resume service. (Inter Island’s plane has been down since the summer; it is in need of an engine overhaul and the airline has no confirmed date as to when plane will be back in service.)

According to Polynesian it will continue to operate twice-daily flights between Pago Pago and the Manu’a Islands depending on the needs of island residents and shippers, and aircraft availability, and will also continue to operate medical evacuation and other emergency flights as needed, using a 19-seater plane.

The airline revealed that during September and October this year, it transported approximately 285 and 275 passengers, respectively, between Pago Pago and the Manu’a Islands, “demonstrating the need for its service”. The airline, however, didn’t reveal how much income it earned for the two months.

“Grant of this exemption request is in the public interest and necessary to avoid an unusual hardship,” the airline said, adding that there is no question that the suspension of U.S. carrier air service between Pago Pago and the Manu’a Islands has resulted in severe hardship to passengers and shippers and disruption to the American Samoan economy.

“Not only is discretionary travel affected, Polynesian understands there are no doctors on the Manu’a Islands and residents are severely restricted in their ability to obtain urgent medical care in Pago Pago,” it says.

Polynesian went on to point out that boat service—which does not operate reliably—is not a suitable substitute, as the arduous sixty-mile journey by sea can take eight hours or more depending on weather. “Moreover, the seas between American Samoa and the Manu’a Islands can be rough, and Polynesian understands that in the past a number of critically ill passengers have not survived the boat trip,” the airline said.

LOLO’S REQUEST

In a Nov. 3 letter, Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga requested USDOT to grant Polynesian’s request so that the carrier can continue to serve the Manu’a islands. He says the extension of the exemption facilitates the provisioning of assistance to mitigate emergency circumstances caused by the lack of air service and ultimately remedy the undue hardship to those affected.

Lolo said he supports the cabotage exemption for Polynesian “until such a time a U.S. carrier can resume operation.”