Samoa Airways may detour to Pago Pago

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The American Samoa Governor, Lolo Moliga, says when Samoa's national airline, Samoa Airways, begins flights to Los Angeles, it's planning to first stop over in American Samoa.

KHJ News reports Lolo as saying that, at this preliminary stage, to get around the US cabotage rule, the airline will fly to American Samoa from Apia, pick up the territory's passengers, and then return to Apia, before the flight departs for LA.

Meanwhile Samoa Airways is continuing to operate on a wet lease agreement with an aircraft from Malindo Air, a Singapore-owned airline, based in Malaysia.