Inter Island Airways
Encyclopedia
Inter Island Airways is a South Pacific
regional airline
based in Pago Pago
, American Samoa
. Inter Island Airways operates passenger and cargo flights in and between American Samoa
, Independent Samoa
and to neighboring Pacific island countries. Its main base of operations is at Pago Pago International Airport
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Inter Island Airways was established in August 1993 as an FAA Part 135 On-Demand Air Taxi Carrier. Inter Island Airways received its air carrier certificate in September 1995 and began providing domestic passenger and cargo air service between Pago Pago (Tutuila Island), Ofu and Tau (in the Manu'a Islands). The airline initiated on-demand passenger service with two 9-seater Aero Commander aircraft.
The airline suspended air operations in late 1997 to focus its attention on expanding its facilities, and acquiring a modern aircraft fleet starting with a new STOL
type 19-seater Dornier 228-212 aircraft in April 1998.
In November 2003, Inter Island Airways restarted flight operations (initially with Las Vegas, Nevada based Vision Airlines
) when Samoa Air
suspended airline operations in September of the same year due to financial difficulties. The airline provided domestic on-demand charter passenger and cargo air service between Pago Pago, Ofu
and Tau
.
In January 2005, Inter Island Airways re-obtained its own Part 135 air carrier certificate and began expanding internationally. In June of the same year, Inter Island Airways began providing on-demand passenger air charter service between Pago Pago and Apia, Samoa
. In July 2007, Inter Island Airways received Commuter Air Carrier Authorization. Inter Island Airways expanded its fleet in February 2005 with the acquisition of a 9-seater Britten-Norman Islander
BN2B-26. In December 2006, an additional 19-seater Dornier 228-212 aircraft was acquired.
The year 2011 is the beginnings of air service expansion outside of the Samoan Islands as Inter Island Airways begins commercial air service to Vava'u and Nuku'alofa in the Kingdom of Tonga, and to Alofi, Niue (Pending Approvals) with the acquisition of a 30-seater Dornier 328-100 turboprop aircraft. Further air service expansion is anticipated in mid-2011 when Inter Island Airways plans to initiate flights from Pago Pago to Suva, Fiji (Pending Approvals) as well as to the Wallis and Futuna islands as Inter Island Airways adds additional Dornier 328 aircraft to its growing fleet.
Inter Island Vacations (www.interislandvacations.com) provides all reservations and flight bookings on Inter Island Airways.
Inter Island Airways is privately owned.
Inter Island Airways, Inc.
Pago Pago International Airport
P.O. Box 4929
Airport Road, Hangar 2
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 USA
1.684.699.7100 (Reservations)
1.684.699.5700 (office/maintenance)
1.684.699.7600 (fax)
travel@interislandvacations.com (e-mail Reservations)
info@interislandair.com (e-mail Information)
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
regional airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in Pago Pago
Pago Pago, American Samoa
Pago Pago , also spelled ', is the capital of American Samoa. In 2000, its population was 11,500. The city is served by Pago Pago International Airport. Tourism, entertainment, food, and tuna canning are the primary industries here. From 1878 to 1951, this was a coaling and repair station for the...
, American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
. Inter Island Airways operates passenger and cargo flights in and between American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
, Independent Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
and to neighboring Pacific island countries. Its main base of operations is at Pago Pago International Airport
Pago Pago International Airport
Pago Pago International Airport , also referred to as Tafuna Airport , Tafuna Airfield, Tafuna Airbase or Pago Pago International with airport designation PPG is a public airport located seven miles southwest of the central business district of Pago Pago, in the village and plains of Tafuna on...
.
Code data
- IATAInternational Air Transport AssociationThe International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
Code: - ICAO Code:
History
The airline suspended air operations in late 1997 to focus its attention on expanding its facilities, and acquiring a modern aircraft fleet starting with a new STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
type 19-seater Dornier 228-212 aircraft in April 1998.
In November 2003, Inter Island Airways restarted flight operations (initially with Las Vegas, Nevada based Vision Airlines
Vision Airlines
Vision Airlines, formerly Vision Air, is an airline with its operations headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia. Commercial and charter flights are offered primarily in the southeastern and central portions of the USA. Las Vegas is the farthest western city served by the airline as of April 2011...
) when Samoa Air
Samoa Air
Samoa Air was a scheduled and charter passenger airline based in Pago Pago, American Samoa.-History:Samoa Air started operations on January 18, 1987, mainly serving the community needs of American Samoa from its base at Pago Pago. Besides interisland flying to communities in American Samoa, the...
suspended airline operations in September of the same year due to financial difficulties. The airline provided domestic on-demand charter passenger and cargo air service between Pago Pago, Ofu
Ofu
Ofu may refer to*Ofu , an island and its village in Vava'u in Tonga*Ofu-Olosega, an island in the Manu'a group in American Samoa*Ofu, Nigeria, a town and Local Government Area in Kogi State...
and Tau
Tau
Tau is the 19th letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 300.The name in English is pronounced , but in modern Greek it is...
.
In January 2005, Inter Island Airways re-obtained its own Part 135 air carrier certificate and began expanding internationally. In June of the same year, Inter Island Airways began providing on-demand passenger air charter service between Pago Pago and Apia, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
. In July 2007, Inter Island Airways received Commuter Air Carrier Authorization. Inter Island Airways expanded its fleet in February 2005 with the acquisition of a 9-seater Britten-Norman Islander
Britten-Norman Islander
The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in...
BN2B-26. In December 2006, an additional 19-seater Dornier 228-212 aircraft was acquired.
The year 2011 is the beginnings of air service expansion outside of the Samoan Islands as Inter Island Airways begins commercial air service to Vava'u and Nuku'alofa in the Kingdom of Tonga, and to Alofi, Niue (Pending Approvals) with the acquisition of a 30-seater Dornier 328-100 turboprop aircraft. Further air service expansion is anticipated in mid-2011 when Inter Island Airways plans to initiate flights from Pago Pago to Suva, Fiji (Pending Approvals) as well as to the Wallis and Futuna islands as Inter Island Airways adds additional Dornier 328 aircraft to its growing fleet.
Inter Island Vacations (www.interislandvacations.com) provides all reservations and flight bookings on Inter Island Airways.
Inter Island Airways is privately owned.
Inter Island Airways, Inc.
Pago Pago International Airport
P.O. Box 4929
Airport Road, Hangar 2
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799 USA
1.684.699.7100 (Reservations)
1.684.699.5700 (office/maintenance)
1.684.699.7600 (fax)
travel@interislandvacations.com (e-mail Reservations)
info@interislandair.com (e-mail Information)
Destinations
Inter Island Airways operates daily passenger flights to/from Pago Pago and the following island airport destinations (as of January 2011)- Domestic destinations: OfuOfu-OlosegaOfu and Olosega are parts of a volcanic doublet in the Manu‘a Group of the Samoan Islands—part of American Samoa. The twin islands, formed from shield volcanoes, have a combined length of 6km. They are geographic volcanic remnants separated by the narrow 137m wide Asaga strait, a natural...
(temporarily suspended) and Tau, Manu'a IslandsTau, American SamoaTa‘ū is the largest island in the Manu‘a Group and the easternmost volcanic island of the Samoan Islands. Ta‘ū is part of American Samoa. In the early 19th century, the island was sometimes called Opoun....
. - International destinations: Apia/Faleolo Airport, Independent SamoaApia, Samoa-Administration:Apia is part of the Tuamasaga political district and of election district Vaimauga West and Faleata East. There is no city administration for Apia. Apia consists of some 45 individual, independent villages...
. - International destinations (Pending Approvals) mid 2011: NukualofaNukuʻalofaNukualofa is the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the southern most island group of Tonga.-Mythological origins:...
, TongaTongaTonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
and Vava'u, Kingdom of TongaVava'uVavau is an island chain of one large island and 40 smaller ones in Tonga. According to tradition Maui fished both Tongatapu and Vavau but put a little more effort into the former. Vavau rises 204 meters above sea level...
, Alofi, NiueNiueNiue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
, and Suva, FijiSuvaSuva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
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External links
- Inter Island Vacations website for booking reservations and travel