Hawaiian Airlines and Samoans

The controversy about Hawaiian Airlines and the Governor of American Samoa in the years gone by illustrate some sobering facts about American Samoa. Truthfully, Hawaiian Air's monopoly and business practices are perceived by most Samoans as unfair, chauvinistic and prejudicial. According to public statements by Hawaiian Air thru the media, their pricing structure is no different than any other Airlines and therefore-not high. As cliche goes "It doesn't take a rocket scientist" to figure out that the cost to fly between American Samoa and Hawaii maybe the most expensive airfare per mile within the USA and its territories. So in fact the Governor was right on his assertion but his method of solving the problem maybe a bit misguided however patriotic his intentions are. We have a small problem and a bigger problem, and that's where this writer is aiming at. The small and more obvious one is that we are being screwed by Hawaiian Air for so long that some of us are beginning to think it actually feels good. Remember the guy that keeps hitting his head to the wall, and when you ask him why?, he said because it feels so good when you stop. That's where we are at. And before we get to the bigger problem, lets look how we got here. At one time, there were so many Airlines flying to Samoa, that there was a flight almost every day. Remember the 70;s and the 80's. SPIA, Continental, Pan Am, Air New Zealand, Air Pacific, Air Nauru, Samoa Air, Polynesian Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and others. So as our populations grows and income grows the reverse happened to the number of Airlines servicing Samoa. There are numerous factors, but I'll just mention a few here. If you study the decline of the number of Airlines coming/going to Samoa, the deciding factor was the political involvement of American Samoa leaders in taking sides with Airlines who were too keen on paying crooked politicians to gain advantages in American Samoa. Airlines gave perks and free trips to politicians to gain favors. So others left because while American Samoa did nothing to develop tourism as a global strategy (can be debated also), American Samoan leaders did nothing to improve its business climate. American Samoan leaders gave lip service to development and mortgage American Samoa's future for a few free trips. As many in third world countries know, it doesn't take much to bribe a politician in the South Pacific.
So now when Hawaiian Airlines gave the finger to the Governor and his Executive order to cease operations, that was the precise moment when some of us felt so humiliated. In fact not even a high level person such as a department secretary or a member of Congress intervene, it was just a desk level person of the FAA gave instructions to the Governor and basically said to the Governor to shove his order . It dawn on me that the Governor of American Samoa in the food chain is even lower than the FAA clerk/official. Governor Tulafono is also a lawyer, but it behooves for him to render an executive order in light of his training and background. I have to say, I applaud his courage and actions. It was needed, and I don't know why American Samoan leaders did not act sooner. And while this commotion was in full throttle, other leaders were just having so much fun on the sidelines. This is how "well coordinated" American Samoan leaders are, one stays on the sidelines while the lion is tearing up the other. There is no cohesive visionary strategy with a united front to tackle these critical issues.
In the 90's, Polynesian Airlines applied to the US Department of Transportation to get exemption to fly from Pago Pago, to Hawaii to LA and back to Samoa, (that is a more profitable route) since they can only fly into one US city (Pago was considered a US city) according to Federal regulations. Guess who campaign against that, most of the American Samoa Fono members and American Samoa leaders, with the help of numerous free trips from Hawaiian Air to their Samoan lobbyists at the Fono.. So that died, and left Polynesian to fly in a financially unprofitable route and never recovered from that. Polynesian Airlines could have at least provided a needed help and countered Hawaiian Air's monopoly. So we are here partly because of what American Samoa leaders did and continually to do..
I used to blame countries such as the US and England for many of our prblems, but there is a point in the discussion where we also have to look inward and take the blame for some of the mess that we are in. We all have to share responsibility.
Competition is always good for Samoa. But Airlines needs more than lip service. We should encourage more Airlines. Very simple When demand is high there will be more supply (Airlines). Tourism in Samoa is growing, more hotels and vacation rentals thanks to the government and the private sector. Last month I paid $299 for a roundtrip ticket to LA. LA to Hawaii, is the same distance from Hawaii to American Samoa. and yet the roundtrip airfare to Samoa is over a thousand dollars . There is a Samoan saying "E pule lava Sitafine i le la o lona vaa".
This article is never meant to blame one party, just to bring attention to both sides of the equation. In that way, I hope it has been an equal opportunity exercise.

Soifua