4 Apr 2013

American Samoa Inter Island Airways plane grounded due to mechanical issue

11:28 am on 4 April 2013

American Samoa based Inter Island Airways flights have not been operating on the inter Samoa route, since last Friday.

An airline official says the 19-seater Dornier aircraft had mechanical problems at the Faleolo International Airport in Samoa and the plane was then grounded in Apia.

The official says the airline's mechanics were dispatched to Apia to check on the aircraft.

Inter Island Air have since ordered off-island the required spare parts that are expected to arrive the end of this week.

Meanwhile, the airline is chartering Polynesian Airlines to accommodate their passengers.

With Inter Island Air down, the Manu'a island group is again without air service.