Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Summer season is upon us once again, and Hawaiian Airlines as it usually does at this time of the year, will operate additional flights to accommodate the increased number of travelers who will be using their summer break to visit friends and family.

The airline’s management in a press release, reminded the public this week that their third weekly flight for the summer begins tonight, Wednesday, May 22.

According to Hawaiian Airlines, tonight’s flight schedule will be the same as the Monday and Thursday flights.

That is, it will be leaving Honolulu at 4:40pm and arriving in Pago Pago at 9:20pm, then departing for Honolulu at 11:20pm and is scheduled to arrive there at 5:45am on Thursday May 23rd.

For some, the Pago Pago/ Honolulu route culminates their travel itinerary while others continue on to the mainland or other destinations. This is not counting the many other international carriers from many parts of the globe arriving and departing with passengers.

However, the first few weeks of next month will see even more airline activity.

As a matter of fact, the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu will be the hub of incoming and outgoing flights from all parts of the Oceania region, bringing delegations from 27 Pacific countries and territories and one from Taiwan, to celebrate the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture slated for June 6-16.

This is the reason for the additional boost in the number of travelers to the Aloha State from Pago Pago International Airport this summer, due to the close to 200 people who will be representing American Samoa in the festival.

The local delegation consists of 100 artists of various cultural disciplines whose accommodation and meals will be paid for by the festival organizing committee, and support staff from various government departments who will be assisting in the various performances.

The support staff are required to be department employees and each department will be responsible for their accommodation and meals.

The delegation will be leaving for Hawaii on the 3rd of June and is expected to return on the 17th.

Government and Fono leaders who will be providing moral support to the local delegation, will remain in Hawaii after the two-week festival to honor invitations from the Samoan community leaders in Hawaii, to take part in the Samoan Heritage Week festivities scheduled for June 15- 18.

Meanwhile, passengers traveling on the Hawaiian Airlines additional flights which will operate every Wednesday beginning tonight, are reminded that all check-in procedures will be carried out at the same times as the usual flight nights every Monday and Thursday.

Ticket counters open from 6pm to 10pm and the security checkpoint opens from 8:30pm to 10:20pm.

Hawaiian Airlines is advising all passengers to arrive early at the airport with all proper travel documents prepared for check-in, emphasizing that check point doors will close promptly at 10:20pm — with absolutely no exceptions.

The summer Wednesday flights will end on September 4.