4 Oct 2004

US Department of Transportation revokes air authority for Samoa Air

7:32 am on 4 October 2004

The US Department of Transportation has issued a notice revoking the commuter air authority for Pago Pago-based Samoa Air.

In May last year, the department undertook an informal review of Samoa Air's financial situation.

Officials say that - for more than a year - it's attempted to obtain sufficient information from Samoa Air "demonstrating its fitness" to operate.

Samoa Air suspended service in September last year while its only operating aircraft was being prepared for a required Federal Aviation Authority maintenance upgrade.

The Transportation Department says it hasn't received an application from Samoa Air that the carrier intends to resume operations nor does it have any other information that would lead the federal agency to concluded that Samoa Air intends to resume flights in the near future.

The Department says it's revoking Samoa Air's licenses without prejudice and that the carrier can re-file for authority at a later date if it chooses to do so.