HA Booted from Samoa

[FlyingPhotog]

http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/060728/1323239.html?.v=1

This is odd. Has an airline ever been kicked out of a territory like this before?

The governor of American Samoa accuses Hawaiian Airlines of predatory practices and is giving the carrier 90 days to get out of the territory.

Togiola Tulafono has been complaining for months that Hawaiian charges more for its Pago Pago service than for other routes of similar distance. The order to cease service came after Hawaiian declined to voluntarily stop service.

[DAL767-400ER]

Well, congrats, now Samoa will be plagued with even worse connections, less travel options, and even higher ticket prices . Another sign that politics around the world don't know squat about aviation.

[ACman]

Well I can see why someone would be pissed, but they got to think.

Maybe it cost HA more to move a 767 around to fly this route when it could fly someware else and make more if not the same. You never know too, the operating costs for the flight (which includes fuel, landing fees, pax yeild and load etc...) could be higher than that of routes with the same distance.

I think HA should do HNL-YVR route, get in the sandbox with WS and AC.

[CathayPacific]

Before 9/11, HA had applied for Kahului - Tokyo authority starting Q3 2002. And I still think it makes sense. May be the 763 can go there, with 3 flts a week.

[MaxPower]

HA shouldnt bother about this issue. They could just go and move their operations to another place.

[Dantheman]

You're basically driving investment/competition out of Samoa.

[AA 1818]

Well if this doesn't bite Samoans in the butt, I don't know what will. This is absolutely ludicrious, and once again it more accurately qualifies the mindset that airline business should remain in the hands of the airline and less in the hands of politicians.

[chrisburns]

Well if this doesn't bite Samoans in the butt, I don't know what will. This is absolutely ludicrious, and once again it more accurately qualifies the mindset that airline business should remain in the hands of the airline and less in the hands of politicians.

Well if you ever seen many samoas there are plenty of butt to be biting Typically some of the largest people in the world as a total population, but overall stupid of this guy. Apparently he is one of thiose WN guys where he thinks he should be able to get anywhere in the world for just $99, I looked at ticket prices to Samoa, it was cheaper to fly HA from LAX to Samoa then to fly to Hawaii, and of course Europe and Asia, so I don't really understand what this guy is whining about.

[Crunk415balla]

I'm glad to see he has a solid, educated reason.

[DAL767-400ER]

Apparently he is one of thiose WN guys where he thinks he should be able to get anywhere in the world for just $99, I looked at ticket prices to Samoa, it was cheaper to fly HA from LAX to Samoa then to fly to Hawaii, and of course Europe and Asia, so I don't really understand what this guy is whining about.

He's just a Grade-A retard. Remember that last year or so, HA had to discontinue flights to Samoa because the runway was in a downright bad condition, with a very high FOD risk, and this idiot complained about HA not operating the flights, saying stuff like "FOD is of no risk" and "We won't invest money in our runway just to please one airline" .

[Crunk415balla]

He's just a Grade-A retard. Remember that last year or so, HA had to discontinue flights to Samoa because the runway was in a downright bad condition, with a very high FOD risk, and this idiot complained about HA not operating the flights, saying stuff like "FOD is of no risk" and "We won't invest money in our runway just to please one airline" .

I'm surprised none of his advisors are any more intelligent. A whole country cannot be idiotic.

[Greg]

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060729/BUSINESS03/607290316/1074/BUSINESS

He can't kick them out, and HA has no intention to stop flights.

[screaming_emu]

"saying the airline charges more for the Honolulu-Pago Pago flight than it does for other flights of similar distance."

its called supply and demand douchebag

[Crunk415balla]

Yup ,and obviously the guy doesn't even realize that it isn't distance that detirmines the airfare.

[DAL767-400ER]

^I'd say that guy doesn't realize quite alot of things!