After suspension of air transportation by the Segaula, to and from Manu’a for almost two years the Port Administration has taken back the government owned airplane, the Segaula, as of Wednesday, December 10, 2014.

The Port Administration has also terminated their Memorandum of Understanding and the lease of the Segaula with Inter Island Airways dba Manu’a Airways Executive President Barney Sene, says Port Administration Director Taimalelagi Dr. Claire Tuia Poumele.

As reported by Samoa News last month, the Port gave Sene until December 2014 to get the Segaula operational and if not, the Port would take back the government airplane and revoke the MOU signed between ASG and Sene in July 2013 during the Manu’a Session Day.

Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga last month wrote to Sene, saying that he has bent over backwards to give him sufficient time to get the airline operational, however the plane is still down.

Samoa News asked what will happen to the Segaula, and the Port Director confirmed that the plane now goes to Tausani Airline, which has already taken over the office space and the hangar that was initially leased to Inter Island Airways.

Taimalelagi also pointed out that by the end of this week ASG will be signing a MOU with Tausani Airline, which is reportedly already working on getting the needed parts for the Segaula. The Port director said Tausani officials are not wasting any time and have already hired a mechanic to look at the plane. _The said mechanic was employed by the government previously for maintenance work on the Segaula — before it was leased to Inter Island Air ways.

Tausani Airlines President, Filifa’atali Mike Fuiava confirmed with Samoa News that they have taken over the plane and they are expediting everything to get the Segaula up and running. At the same time, their airline plans to bring down two more airplanes from Guam and they anticipate to kick off their first flights to Manu’a in a few weeks, said Filifa’atali.

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