11 May 2011

New jobs promised by America West Jets in American Samoa

11:25 am on 11 May 2011

New jobs have been promised by Nevada-based airline America West Jets when it begins a twice weekly service between Los Angeles and South Pacific destinations including Australia, American Samoa and Fiji.

The airline is conducting a market survey of American Samoa in preparation for start up of a passenger/cargo combination service in November.

At present the only airline flying into Pago Pago aside from inter-Samoa airlines, Polynesian and Inter Island Air, is Hawaiian airlines which operates twice a week from Honolulu.

America West Jets chief executive, Drex Hansen, says will hire locals for their proposed service.

"Our plan is to actually base crews there and use it as a domicile for our crews. So we are expecting there will be quite a bit of activity by our employees, some that are from there and some that will travel and live there."

America West airline CEO Drex Hansen.