The owner of Samoa's Fagali'i airport says flights to American Samoa are full on its first day of business in four years.
Polynesian Airlines, the national carrier, re-opened the airport yesterday after spending 300,000 US dollars on building a terminal and upgrading the runway.
Fagali'i was closed in 2005 over safety concerns and a decision to save money by having only one airport on Upolu, Faleolo International.
The airline's chief executive, Taua Lialialefau Fatu, says all safety issues have been addressed and he sees no reason for the airport to close again.
"We have two competitors between here and Pago and we know that a lot of people prefer flying from Fagali'i to Pago than going all the way to Faleolo. It's very popular, today is fairly busy, we've got a lot of people wanting to fly across to American Samoa."
Taua Lialialefau Fatu Tielu of Samoa's Polynesia Airlines
